Inverting Mistakes
by 07XReflectional
Summary: When all has been quiet and calm, Shadow the Hedgehog crashes the GUN ceremony and tries to assassinate the President. Why now? That ceremony signified the reopening of the Space Colony ARK. Silver and Blaze soon get involved as well as the Chaotix. Many are convinced that it's for the better , while others begin to understand why doors that were once closed should stay closed.
1. Prologue

_**Prologue.**_

**2100. Hours. Somewhere. In. distant. space.**

A strange object roamed around space like a lost puppy. It _almost_ looked like a run away satellite that was once orbiting the planet Earth.

_About fifty years ago. _

Then, the satellite began to be violently pulled by a gravitational force. It crashed landed. Huffs of orange smoke rose around the strange satellite. As if on schedule, the satellite began to rumble and open up to reveal its interior. A silver static energy rose from the machine. Strings of other cool colors lashed through and fro the energy in a tedious weaving pattern.

Before the particles of that planet even realized it, they had all been consumed. _Just like that_. That distant planet ceased to exist forever. It was absorbed in a nanosecond by the strange silver silky energy.

With no planet left or life, the dark satellite set off on its merry way to retrieve another prey—_another planet._

* * *

><p><em><strong>Yes, I am aware of the size of this chapter. No worries, next chapter is up so read on-please! I just finished completing Sonic '06 so I'm pretty sentimental *sniff*. That ending was HORRIBLE. The effing game never even happened!<strong>_

_**ANYWAY: This is going to be a story based off the game universe (So that means TV series NEVER happened. Or Archie's.) **_

_**Stay tuned! I can assure you might like it :)**_


	2. The Night Shadows

_**The Night Shadows.**_

"_A wonderful fact to reflect upon, that every human being is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other."_

_~Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickenson._

"Sonic!" The two tailed fox yelled as he lowered the Tornado near the ground where his blue friend ran.

"Tails! Long time no see." He smirked, "Watcha need?"

The fox flung out a blue cardstock envelope out to him.

"An invitation."

"To party?" The hedgehog struggled to open the letter.

"Yeah," The fox gulped. "But like an _actual _party. Not a battle party." The hedgehog made a sudden stop.

"Huh?" He closely read the fancy font.

_Dear Sonic,_

_You have been invited to the opening ceremony of the reopening of the Space Colony ARK. The G.U.N wishes for you attend the President's speech about our new mission to progress a further understanding of the outside world. There will be food and refreshment provided. Formal attire required. _

_Where: G.U.N Main Conference Room_

_When: January 1__st__ at 1800 Hours._

_Sincerely, the Guardian Units of Nations._

Tails looks at Sonic's face, trying to read him. "I got an invitation as well. I heard from a friend Knuckles and Amy got one as well."

"Does the idea of the ARK _reopening _sound like a terrible idea, or is it just me?" Sonic looks over at the two-tailed fox. Tails shrugged.

"It's tomorrow. Are you going?" Tails eagerly asked his blue friend.

"I don't know, Tails. . .this sounds like a bad idea for a ceremony. But I'll go. It's an excuse to party." Tails smiled.

"Now we just need fancy suits!" Sonic squinted in despair.

"I don't look so sharp in a suit. . ." The blue hedgehog mumbled.

Tails boarded the Tornado. "Well, you can't use last year's. Especially from all the clawed marks Amy—"

"OK, OK, fine." Sonic interrupted. "I'll see you at the Tux Enterprise in an hour." Tails beamed and set off on his plane.

It took Sonic a while before he set off again running on the sparkling snow into the city. _Reopening the ARK? Why?_

**~XxX~**

"This tux is itchy. This is boring." Sonic complained to Tails as they awkwardly sat on a table. "Music's lame. No hot chicks. No _nothing_." Tails slammed his head onto the table. Sometimes he wonders who the kid in the friendship is.

They had been sitting there for more than three hours. No food. No drinks. And no one to talk to. There was a slide show about the remodeling that will be made on the ARK, but they've seen it so many times they knew the order of the pictures. Everyone decided to be _fashionably late_; including the President himself.

"Sonic? Tails?" A familiar rough voice called. Tails lifted his head to see a red echidna.

"You came?" Sonic called out to Knuckles. "I never expected to see you out of all people."

"Um. . ." Knuckles rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Rouge dragged me here." Tails slammed his head back onto the table.

"Date?" Sonic asked. Finally, something to be entertained by.

Knuckles glared at Sonic.

"No."

"Oh, Knuckieeee." Sonic tried to contain his laughter. Tails preferred to leave his head buried. He didn't get paid enough for this crap. He tried to not go insane by the clatter of heels headed this way.

"Be a gentleman and bring me a drink, will ya? An apple margarita." Knuckles shrugged and stormed off to get his "date" a drink.

"So how have _you _been, Big Blue? Enjoying the party?" The she-bat wore a strapless red dress, with a touch of silver eye shadow.

"Eh, usual." The blue hedgehog said casually. "Tell me again how you whipped Knuckles." He smirked flirtatiously over at the bat.

"Wasn't that hard. Especially with Shadow being a total jerk lately. I _needed _to get me some kind of date to look refined and mature." Knuckles set down the fancy glass next to Rouge. "Get Big Blue here a drink too, Knuckie. Get yourself something too. It _is_ for free." Tails shot up.

"I thought they weren't serving anything until the President arrives." He called. Rouge bats the air with her hand.

"They always serve liquor though," She shook the fancy margarita glass slowly, "Especially if_ I'm_ here. I'm just as important as the President." She chugged half of the drink.

"So what were you saying about Shadow?" Sonic continued the conversation.

Rouge eyed him suspiciously. "Why? Wanna show off the best dance moves to each other?" She smiled at her own thought before her face turned dark. "Shadow won't be showing up though. I don't think this is a good thing for him. You know—_reopening _the ARK." Her expression turned back to normal when Knuckles showed up. He looked about to burst in anger.

"Anything else, Rouge?" He clenched his teeth.

"Yeah, sit down and relax." She called patting the seat next to her. "If you look all pissed off people are going to think I _forced _you here."

"You did force me here." Knuckles gritted his teeth as he sat down.

"Yo Knuckles, cool down. She's right." Sonic called as he chugged his second drink down. Knuckles glared at him. "I meant about the cooling down part." Sonic got the attention of the waiter and asked him for a few more drinks.

"So is your girlfriend showing up?" Rouge called over to Sonic as she looked inside her empty glass. She glanced over to Knuckles and he growled. He picked up her glass and set off to get her another apple margarita.

"She's, um, not my—" Sonic mumbled.

"_Sonic?!_"Rouge couldn't help but not burst out in laughter. Of course—Amy Rose would _never _miss out on any assorted parties involving Sonic. "I thought you wouldn't show!" Amy beamed with happiness. She took a seat next to him.

"Excuse me, can I please have your attention?" The commander of G.U.N spoke from the stage. "The President has arrived from his delayed flight. Our ceremony shall begin."

"Finally. . ." Tails got up groggily.

"Tails?" Amy said. "How long have you been there?" Sonic was about to respond, but didn't get the chance before the president came on the stage.

"Forgive me for my delay." The people, including the furries stared at the President to go on with his words. They wanted to dance more than hear an actual speech. "As you have heard, I intend on reopening the Space Colony ARK to make further investigations in space and give us more opportunities for knowledge." He cleared his throat. "I will sign a document initiating the project, it also states no violent shut down of the ARK can be initiated by _anyone_."

Men in robes brought forth the contact as if it were a royal artifact.

"I wonder what the _whole _contact states. . ." Sonic mumbled. Rouge gripped her hold on Knuckles.

"I wonder too." She mumbled back.

The President leaned over the contact to sign it. The power went off however, except for a blaze of red light coming from the entrance.

"You sign that contract and I _will _kill you."

"Shadow. . ." Rouge mumbled. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of the black hedgehog. She let go of Knuckles and flew up to the stage. "You're not touching the President." E123-Omega came up from behind him.

"Rouge: Evacuate the perimeter, or you will perish along with everyone." The robot called out systematically. He aimed his cannon at her. Rouge felt something strife for sadness inside her.

Rouge clenched her jaw. "Then you'll have to get through me."

"I figured you were the agent designated to body guard the President." Shadow growled. "How much are they paying you?" He shook his head. "It's not worth it. Now, step aside." Rouge stood her ground.

Shadow and Omega would never hurt her. Right?

"Go back. We'll talk." No one has ever seen Rouge look that desperate for an alternative. "Please."

Shadow growled.

"I'm sorry, Rouge." Omega began firing. Sonic went into action and tackled the robot. Rouge flew toward Shadow and he charged back at her. Knuckles got up and helped Sonic shut down the robot. People shoved themselves under the tables as they yelled in terror.

Rouge and Shadow threw each other against the walls leaving cracks. "Control yourself!" Rouge yelled at Shadow as she took a sharp kick for his chest. He gripped onto her leg and swung her into the ice sculptures.

"You don't understand." He growled at her.

"I understand you can't control yourself." She spat back. He lifted her from the ice sculpture and threw her at a metal beam. Rouge was tempted to pass out; she knew she couldn't though. If someone was going to bitch-slap Shadow out of his senses—it was going to be her.

"Shadow, please." She struggled to say because he was choking her with his iron fist. "What are you planning to accomplish . . ._ revenge_?" She blacked out. Shadow took a look at Rouge's numb body. He shook her.

"Rouge?" He closed his eyes in regret. He scanned the area for the President. He was gone though, as was the contract. He growled. "Omega!" He turned around to see him being shut off. G.U.N agents aimed guns at him.

"Don't move, Agent Shadow. You've gone too far." Shadow took one last look at Rouge before he teleported away.

**~XxX~**

"Shadow lost his mind, again!" Knuckles growled as he helped scoop up pieces of the ceiling. "He could have killed Rouge and the President."

"But he didn't." Tails called. "I've never seen them two fight like _that_. They're like best friends."

"She's Shadow's only actual _living, breathing_ friend." Sonic called. There wasn't much damage to the hall. The people had resumed to dancing the night away while some are now traumatized for life. Sonic and co. offered to clean up the minor mess.

"Is that a problem?" Rouge called from afar. They turned to see her only with a few bruises and red marks on her throat. "There must be something on that contract for Shadow to react that way."

"Doesn't he just _always _react like that?" Knuckles growled.

"You see him when he's in the middle of a fight. Which he was. He's onto something." Sonic shook his head.

"What do you mean?" Rouge looked over at him.

"Let's go find him and we'll find out for ourselves." Rouge was rarely seen serious, something had to be up. Sonic nodded.

"Tails, Knuckles. Stay here and guard if necessary. I'll go with Rouge." They nodded.

"I'm coming too, Sonic." Amy called out in her peppy voice. Rouge didn't seem to reject the offer. Sonic was actually waiting for that, but since Rouge didn't deny it, then he had no other choice.

"Let's go." Sonic called to the ladies. He made a run for it into the starry night. Amy and Rouge behind him.


	3. Repetitions Of Our Dearest Reputations

_A/N: Everyone still has their memories from Sonic '06._

_**Repetitions of Our Dearest Reputations.**_

_"I cannot blink what I saw, for my enemies will not blink it." _

_-Parris, The Crucible by Arthur Miller  
><em>

Rouge had spotted Shadow's silhouette on top off Station Square's largest building. He sat pondering on his gargoyle pedestal.

"I figured you'd be here."

Shadow's face tilted sideways toward his bat friend. "How's your neck?" he asked in his deep hollow voice.

Rouge felt her neck gashes throb at the rhythm of her heart beat; and it was going pretty fast. "It's fine." She looked up at his face reflecting the full moon behind him. "What upsets you about the ARK reopening?" Shadow turned away.

"They plan on making another Project Shadow renamed Project Virgo." Rouge sat next to him and stared at the moon. "Why would they make another one of _me_? I don't care if I don't accommodate to their standards, but is it so bad that they need another to do their bidding?" Rouge shifted her legs.

"Are you sure about this? I mean—"

"It's in the contract." Shadow got up and crossed his arms, his ruby eyes penetrated Rouge. "I wasn't invited or even told of this operation. Why do you suppose that is?" Rouge got up and shrugged.

"Who knows? What I do know is that you're in a lot of trouble, so I'd advise you to stay low for a while. I'll let you know of any updates on the project."

Shadow got in close to her. "You'd risk getting your prize and losing the President's trust for my motives?" Rouge slowly stepped away.

"I once told you we were a team, and I meant it. I'll free Omega and we'll investigate this together." Shadow looked away.

"Fine." He nodded to his teammate and teleported away. _It's always business with him, isn't it? _Rouge thought.

"So you found Shadow, but didn't tell us?" Amy wondered out loud to Rouge.

"I knew where to find him and figured he wasn't going to talk if you all were around."

"So, what was the point in us coming along?" Sonic asked Rouge.

Rouge shrugged. "I don't know! Backup? I don't think I would last another attack from Shadow."

They reentered the party and greeted their friends. "Any luck?" Knuckles asked the incoming group.

"Shadow has good reasons," is all Rouge said a he took a seat next to the red echidna.

"Which are?" Tails asked at Rouge.

"I'm not sure. There's a hunch, but I'd rather not share until I'm positive." Rouge bit her lip. No one could know of Project Virgo. Not even them. Whatever was up, they had to wait or find out themselves. She needed to find out herself before agreeing to work with Shadow about something so personal.

**~XxX~**

The Chaotix had been called in to G.U.N. exactly a week after the ceremony.

"You sure this is it, Vector?" Charmy had asked shuddering.

Vector nodded. "Positive." Espio did the honors of ringing the buzz to let them in. Before they knew it, they were face to face with The Commander.

"I have two missions for you." He cleared his throat. "With a most guaranteed reward, of course." Vector's eyes turned into dollar signs. "I shall reveal the second mission when the time is right, but for now . . ." He turned toward the window and viewed the proud city he's been defending for years with pride. "Are you familiar with our Agent: Shadow the Hedgehog?" The Chaotix nodded. "Very well, your mission is to find him, and bring him to me however you can—but _alive_." Espio sensed a hate aura coming from the Commander. _Could he still not be over what happened decades ago . . . ?_

Being Espio—he said nothing about his suspicions. "Consider the job done, sir!" Charmy yelled with enthusiasm. Vector side-glanced Espio with an ambivalent expression.

"Um, why do you want Shadow anyway, sir?" Vector asked doubtfully.

"That is none of your concern as _professional _detectives. I shall reveal more as you prove to me you can catch the Ultimate Life Form." Espio gritted his teeth, but kept his cool. _All in due time, _he told himself.

The Chaotix left G.U.N. Headquarters and headed back to their small office. They remained silent the whole way, except for Charmy who bought himself an horchata at the little juice store down the block. His bee wings buzzed happily as he hummed to himself while carefully sipping the cinnamon-y drink.

"Alright,Vector." Espio sat in remorse in a chair that was placed in front of Vector's desk. "Where shall we begin with this _hunt_?" Vector rubbed his chin in thought.

"I guess we ask around first. Charmy will report to Sonic, Rouge, Tails, Amy, and Knuckles. He will come back with any hint leading to Shadow." Charmy could be heard playing Rock Band in the next room over.

"You hear that, Charmy?!" Vector roared to overcome the sound of music. There was only a faint "Yes!" meaning that Charmy somewhat understood his mission.

"And I, Vector? What shall I do?" The purple chameleon asked curiously.

"You will go through G.U. about Shadow and his past missions." Espio nodded and headed out to the door. He unlocked it swiftly, but turned around to face Vector.

"And what about you?" Vector waved his hand against the air.

"Don't worry about me. I'll do _my _part."

**~xXx~**

Cream the Rabbit and Cheese the Chao usually never go out picking flowers by themselves. Usually, Vanilla accompanies her little rabbit to choose the right colors and flowers that would best go together.

Sadly, Vanilla chose the worst scenario to leave her daughter picking flowers by herself.

A dark shadow rose behind Cream. She hummed to herself Stereo Hearts, so she was too occupied to realize Cheese's horrified expressions. By the time Cream looked over at Cheese and turned around . . .

Cream the Rabbit blacked out.

**~xXx~**

Silver the Hedgehog Chaos Controlled into the present time. He swiftly looked around for any incoming dangers. There was none. Blaze the Cat poured in from the wormhole.

"Ow," she mumbled as she massaged her scalp. "Please tell me we aren't in the Juristic era anymore or the French Revoultion."

Silver shook his head. "I got it right this time . . . At least, _I hope _I did."

The walked toward the nearest civilization. "Are you sure changing actions here will change the future for the _better_?" Silver called to his companion with doubt.

"You're still so naïve." Blaze shook her head and hid a small smile creasing from her lip. "It worked last time. And now look, we defeated Iblis and even got to see each other again after all. It _has_ to work." Blaze inspired confidence into Silver. Even her words bared resemblance to the fire she dominated.

"Let's hit it then." Silver ran out into the city with a blushing Blaze trailing behind him.

**~xXx~**

"No way . . ." Rouge clattered her fingers on the keyboard. She smirked to herself in satisfaction. She wore a ski mask and a suit which hid her wings from sight. Her aquamarine eyes darted back and forth, sweeping across the letters on the screen.

Soon enough the database was engulfed in a red siren and flooded with a blood red light.

"That's my cue to leave," Rouge mumbled as she cursed. She pulled a USB drive from her breasts and plugged it into the computer. The data was copying onto the drive. "_Come on, come on!_" Rouge told the computer. She could hear the stomps of the incoming guards not so far from the database room.

She unplugged the USB as soon as the copying was complete and tossed the mechanism back into her breasts. She flew like a jewel engulfed in flames as she reached the glass ceiling overhead. She heard the door open with a bust of metal as soon as she finished sealing the hole in the glass ceiling back into its place.

She flew off into the night sky, camouflaging with her tight black stealth suit.

She didn't notice, however, that her USB was dropped near the glass ceiling in which she escaped from.

* * *

><p><strong>Another chapter up! :D Hope you liked this one. I'll try to upload the next one ASAP ;) The story is all iffy right now but in a while. . .well. . .it'll be just fine. . .and make MORE sense. And longer and more detailed. Review and you shall make me a happy person ;p Any questions? Ask! I don't bite. . .yet. I dedicate this to my ever loyal beta, MaxWaylandGray! :D Go check out her stories if you <strong>_**LOVE**_** the Mortal Instruments. She makes stories that blow your mind, and I'm not just saying that cause she's my best friend, but because its true. . .JUST SAYIN'! **


	4. London Beckoned Songs About Money

_**London Beckoned Songs About Money Written By Machines**_

"_I'm burning and I'm blacking my lungs__. __Boy, you know it feels good with fire back on your tongue.__If you talk you better walk, you better back your shit up__ w__ith more than good hooks while you're all under the gun."_

_-Panic! At The Disco, L__ondon Beckoned Songs About Money Written By Machines_

Knuckles stood guarding the beloved Master Emerald on Angel Island with pride; being the last of the Echidnas of his race. The sun towered overhead, signaling it was noon. That also meant the time to check on the Chaos Emeralds. Knuckles flew up to the small pedestals and did a role count. He realized one was gone however. The shimmering white one.

Being the knucklehead he is—he gritted his teeth and flew down from Angel Island. _No one . . . takes Chaos Emeralds from me on my watch._

"Tails!" He banged on the door to Tail's workshop. "Open up, I don't got all day!" Tails opened the door to his red friend.

"Calm down, Knuckles! What's wrong?" That poor little fox had too many friends with mental issues. He thought Sonic's possible ADHD was one thing, and Shadow's amnesia was just ridiculous. He could never establish in his mind what Knuckles's condition could be.

"Do you have a Chaos Emerald tracker? The white emerald is gone." Tails scratched his head.

"Well . . . I actually just finished my latest model of it last week. I guess she'll need a little test run while we're at it." He smiled at his stressed friend. "Go guard the other emeralds. I'll look for the white one." Knuckles departed at once and flew back up to his Island; floating up into the stormy skies.

He looked at the empty pedestal to realize the rest of the Chaos Emeralds were gone as well, except for one; the ruby one. He swooped in and took it with him. _I'm going to kill whoever is responsible. _

The Master Emerald was a strong girl, she could hold up by herself while he went with Tails. He'll need back up. He patted the Master Emerald and reassured her he'll be back as if she were his own lover.

Kind of creepy, actually.

**~xXx~**

Amy Rose could barely contain her shock. "Cream is _gone_!?" Vanilla wiped tears away.

"I should have gone! And now she's gone!" The girls sobbed there for a few seconds or more.

Amy wiped her tears off her pink fur. "No. . . I have to find her. Sonic will help, you'll see." She beams at Vanilla.

"Be careful. . ." Vanilla mumbles to Amy.

Amy nods with confidence. "I will."

**~xXx~**

"Knuckles!" The two-tailed fox points at a robot carrying a blue chaos emerald. The echidna rammed into the robot, and beat the living circuits out of it. Knuckles picked up the royal blue Emerald.

"Looks like the Egg-head is up to something. . ." Knuckles mumbled. He tossed the Emerald to his fox friend.

"We have to find Sonic maybe he can help. . ." For once, Knuckles didn't argue. It wasn't because he knew they couldn't get all of the Chaos Emeralds by themselves, but rather because he had a feeling Sonic was up to something himself.

The team ran across the murky swamp seeking more answers until they ran into a metal wall. Knuckles punched the metal over and over, but didn't even manage to dent it.

"Hmm, that's so strange," Tails read his beeping radar with precaution, "According to my radar, there _isn't _a wall here. In fact this is supposed to all be swamp!" Knuckles looked away.

"But this doesn't have to do with the Chaos Emerald disappearing, right?" Tails bit his lip.

"That robot did seem to be headed somewhere . . . what makes you believe it wasn't here?" Knuckles' head hurt.

"So are you trying to say it _wasn't_ Eggman's robo?" Tails shook his head.

"I thought it was but now, I'm afraid not. It had to trace of being Eggman's in the first place. What worries me is that it looked like a very old model of his robots." The bushes shook behind them. The echidna and fox turned around swiftly ready for combat. Vector came tumbling out.

"Vector?" Knuckles called out. "Were you _spying _on us?" He growled. "You better have a good excuse for—"

"NO! Wait, it's not what it seems!" Tails stood between the two males.

"Whoa, hold up." Tails warned Knuckles to lay off before he directed his attention back to the crocodile. "What exactly were you doing, Vector?"

The crocodile got back up to his feet. "You see, I can't tell you the details, but I was wondering if you guys knew where ol' Shadow is."

"Shadow?" Knuckles growled. "The bastard hasn't shown his face since he trashed up the ARK Ceremony."

"Ceremony?" Vector spoke out loudly.

Tails and Knuckles looked at each other before responding to Vector. "You didn't hear?" Tails blurted out. Vector shook his head slowly while his expression remained blank.

"Vector . . . why _are _you here?" Knuckles asked him sympathetically.

"I'm not even sure anymore." Vector punched a tree. "Why are you two here?"

"Chaos Emeralds." Tails and Knuckles replied in unison.

Vector nodded. "I'll help you get them if you like." Knuckles glared at him.

"You're not coming near us until you tell us why you really followed us." Vector sighed; he had thought they would drop that subject.

"I was actually here on my own. I'm on a job. I ran into the metal wall so many times that I thought maybe I was trapped inside of it. Then I heard you two coming along and thought maybe I could follow you two out. . ." Tails shook his head.

"We _can't _be in the center. There is something beyond the wall."

"Let's go find out then." Knuckles began walking away pridefully.

**~xXx~**

Sonic groaned to himself in disbelief when he saw Amy approaching him. _She never gives up, huh?_ He chugged down his drink and prepared himself to speed off.

"Sonic! Wait!" The pink hedgehog yelled. "This is urgent!" The blue hedgehog stopped in his tracks. _Urgent?_

"What's wrong, Amy?" He tilted his head in sympathy as soon as he saw her worried expression.

"Cream and Cheese are gone. They disappeared yesterday. Vanilla is so worried, Sonic! You have to help us!" He was never the one to give in to her pleads but this time he couldn't help himself, and it was for Cream and Cheese after all.

"Where was the last time they were seen?" Sonic asked Amy.

"Vanilla said they said they had gone to Flowery Fields. She usually goes with them but she didn't this time. . ." Amy's voice faded off into pessimistic thoughts.

"That would mean they were being observed prior to this." Sonic looked out into the sky. It doesn't take a genius to find out that Cream had been followed every day and the person must have taken their chance when they saw she was alone with Cheese. "Let's go to Flowery Fields, Amy. We'll find them." He tiled her chin up. "Smile." She leapt into his arms.

"Oh, Sonic you're so sweet!" The blue hedgehog tried to get her off him but she stuck to him like bubble gum.

"Amy, get off." He whined. "We have to get going. . ."

She sprung down and giggled. "You're right." They ran off into the horizon, with warm colors evading off the sky making it such a nice escape.

**~xXx~**

Charmy wondered to himself where Tails, Sonic, or Amy could be. Knuckles is always on his absurd floating island, so he can find him when he needs to. And he already talked to Rouge but she basically blew him off saying he was accusing her of conspiracy. He didn't want to get his team in trouble with G.U.N seeing how she's favorable with them. He sighed to himself.

Flowers bloomed taller than trees and a crystal lake stood in the middle of the meadow with willow trees drooping over it. Charmy didn't even notice where he had ended up in. The floor was covered in layers of rainbow flowers; one couldn't even see the ground anymore. Mushrooms of different colors acted as shades. This is the kind of place that reminded him of Cream. A malicious smile crept onto his face. One day, she will be his. He'll bring her here and they'll play tag and hide and seek until they drop. They will lie under the mushrooms and look at the clouds; spotting out its shapes and figures. He'll let her make him a crown of flowers and they will rule over this paradise. It almost seemed like a possibility, a dream that would be so against reality but that he would make possible.

"Charmy?" A familiar female voice interrupted his daydreaming.

He shook he head. "W-What?!" A pink hedgehog was looking at him funny. Her companion was the famous blue hedgehog. "How long were you guys looking at me?" He asked embarrassed.

"Not long actually." Sonic smirked at him maliciously, it made Charmy's spine shiver.

"Charmy, have you seen Cream?" Amy had a more serious expression; unlike Sonic. "She disappeared yesterday along with Cheese. Vanilla is worried sick." Charmy's heart skipped a beat.

"She's gone? How does that even happen?" Amy glanced at Sonic.

"No one knows. Someone—or something—did away with her." Amy sighed.

"You should report this to Vector, Charmy." Sonic suggested. "You guys do _run _a detective agency after all." Charmy nodded and set off.

He buzzed off into the fields when he realized he had just _found _Sonic and Amy. He zoomed back in a rush; praying to himself that they were still there. And thankfully—they were. He crashed into Sonic.

"Whoa, watch where you're going—"Charmy interrupted Sonic.

"Have you seen Shadow?" Amy and Sonic look at each other.

"Why the sudden worry for him?" Sonic mumbled.

"We haven't seen him since he crashed the ARK party." Amy answered. "We had set off to look for him with Rouge. She _did _manage to find him and talk to him though. She refuses to tell anyone anything though. Why?" Amy asked suspiciously.

"Um, classified. . ." Charmy rubbed the back of his head. He buzzed off into the distance once again. At this point he didn't know what was more important: The love of his life or his mission.

"Vector!" Charmy barged back into their office. "Vector?" The bee looked around but his boss wasn't there. Espio was gone as well. The bee sunk into the guest coach. _What's going on?!_

**I apologize for the wait. I got side tracked and lost my motive, only until a while ago did I acquire a renewed love for this *sniffles* And I present to ya'll my new beta for this fic, MsKittyKitty555 :D Thanks for being my beta, I appreciate it. Let's make this fic awesome. I also wanna give a shout-out to all the other reviewers! And MaxWaylandGrey for being my best friend and ex-beta ;D It's ok, ONE DAY I'll teach you in the art of Sonic but until then . . . you're stuck with TtEIDTMHC ;) Again, thanks MsKittyKitty :} Next chapter is already being worked on so um yeah.**


	5. Run

_A/N: This entire chapter happened on the same night that the last chapter left off on, the last story happens the very next day. _

_**Run**_

"_Have heart, my dear__. __We're bound to be afraid__,__ even if it's just for a few days__; __making up for all this mess._ Light up, light up. As if you have a choice, even if you cannot hear my voice; I'll be right beside you dear._"_

_~Run, Snow Patrol_

The night was gentle and breezy. Leaves danced everywhere gently. Crunches of leaves were heard from a distance. Rouge tilts her head up to see where the sound came from. She was under a light post that held small moths buzzing over her in sweet harmony.

"Rouge?" The familiar hedgehog called out to his teammate. His blazing red eyes penetrated the night. "You wanted to see me?" Rouge bit her lip.

"I came to see if you wanted to stay at my place." He tilted his head. "You know, for old time's sake."

He shakes his head in disapproval. "There's no need for that. I have my back clear and no one has followed me. Wasting time right now is probably putting me on alert." He turned around ready to go. Rouge used her last resort.

"I have information." He stopped in his tracks.

"Define information."

"I can't say much here but I snuck into G.U.N to steal data from the mother board. I have the USB back at the Casino. I didn't want to say it here." It took Shadow a few minutes of silence before following Rouge.

The streets were dim and looked ghetto. Every once in a while some couple would pass by laughing their hearts away. It gave Rouge a morbid feeling on the inside; a feeling of jealousy and knowing that she'll never be that happy. Huge lights rose from the dark. Night Babylon's lights shone in beautiful rich colors. Everyone ran amuck with money and a desire to game. Shadow and Rouge though, already knew their destination.

Club Rouge.

They went to the alley nearby; the back entrance to the Club. The least they wanted was attention. They crept up to her small apartment. "Shadow. . ." Rouge locked the door. "Don't freak out, but I lied. I _don't _have the information. I dropped it escaping from G.U.N. I may not have solid evidence but I remember it all." She waited for him to yell at her or storm out but he didn't.

"But you remember it . . . right?" His voice was rough on the edge. This tone always intimidated her.

"Yes." She walked deeper into the apartment and into her small kitchenette. Dishes were piled up after days of not being washed. The table was full of papers with the G.U.N logo all over them.

"What's all this?" He asked slightly disgusted.

"Me trying to sort through the information." She flew around taking papers into the small living room. Shadow picked up boxes of files and helped her out. Soon, the kitchenette was nice and clean. Rouge had just dried the last dish and finished preparing the coffee. She plunked down in a chair next to him.

"Rouge," His eyes tore through her soul. "If you dropped the USB, don't you think someone at the base found it and is onto you?" She shrugged.

"Who knows?" She sipped the hot liquid slowly. "Shadow," He looked up at her. "Not only are they making a replica of you but their sending it to space. According to Dr. Robotnik's journals, there's something out there that is very hazardous. Like that can destroy our planet. It's by far smaller than the eclipse cannon."

Shadow's fangs popped out due to his annoyance. "Am I not powerful enough to destroy it for them?" Rouge looks down into her swirly liquid.

"If they capture this power, they can have abilities beyond our knowledge. " She looks up at her comrade. "They know you will refuse getting the power for them. In order to get that power, _something _needs to be given up in exchange."

"Something?"

"I'm not sure what that is yet." Shadow drank the last of his coffee; as did Rouge. She took them to the faucet and began washing them. "Your creator was a genius, you know." He looked up at her. "He found Emerl, created you, and now this." Shadow shook his head.

"I know my doctor well. There's a catch to this _project._ We have to find it first. No, we have to gather more data. Your USB has a tracker, right?" Rouge dries her hands and nods. "We'll look for it tomorrow." Shadow got up and headed for the door.

"Shadow," Rouge extended her arm. "There's something else I want to propose to you." Shadow lets go of the knob and faces Rouge.

"Elaborate."

"There are some things I can't spot out that you can. This involves you more than it will ever involve me." She faces him strongly. "You need to reapply for GUN as a different being. You need to disguise yourself temporarily."

He chuckles. "Rouge I don't see the—"

"Shadow, I'm serious. You can't hide forever. They won't stop hunting you. You just _tried _to kill the President."

"Rouge, I trust your spying abilities to its fullest. You'll be fine without me." He opened the door.

"I'm not just talking about doubting my abilities. You may be the_ Ultimate Lifeform _but even you can't hide forever." She shut the door. "Besides, you better not leave me hanging. I already bought the best dyes for your quills. If you want to leave, you owe me a hundred eighty bucks." A creepy smile crept onto Shadow's face.

"Fine." Rouge led him upstairs to her dorm. Her dorm was surprisingly organized.

"OK, so I bought yellow streaks and –" Shadow sighed loudly; interrupting her.

"I honestly don't care what you bought, just do your thing." He slumped in a chair and crossed his arms. He snapped at her. "Come on, I don't have all night, Rouge." She gripped her fists. She hated when he snapped at her; she didn't say anything though.

Hours and hours went by while Rouge worked. Shadow remained speechless throughout the process. He could only feel the cool dyes refresh his skin. Rouge wrestled his unruly quills to stay in a straight manner. She even made him go dip in the bathtub for an hour so the "dye can rest in". When he finished the bath, he had to nudge her until she woke; she had fallen asleep on her bed. Just when the sun's light began to shine through the windows, she had acquired the privilege to say,

"Finally!" She washed her hands thoroughly until she saw all the yellow dye go down in swirls through the sink. "Well," She dried her hands. "Mirrors in the bathroom, go check yourself out." She nudged her head to the bathroom motioning Shadow to go in.

He didn't feel different, but once he saw himself, he was a different person already. "Rouge. . ." He mumbled as he examined his gray fur. There was no trace of it ever being black fur. His quills were carefully crafted to be straighter and possessed yellow streaks.

"Put these on." Rouge handed him some new yellow gloves and shoes. "The gloves have space for your incubator rings." She rushed into her closet. "And put these on." She handed him aviator glasses and a trench coat. Shadow felt different as he changed his accessories. "Now, we just need a new name for you." She took his old shoes and gloves and stored them deep in her closet.

"Mhmm. . ." He turned at different angles trying to spot a blind spot, but there was none. He _wanted _to spot something wrong so Rouge could revert him back to normal. He felt different and cold; he didn't even remember his name. _Shadow._ He told himself. _ I'm Shadow, the Ultimate Lifeform. _"I rename myself: _Darkness_ the Hedgehog." He balled his fists in a position he usually did but even then he still didn't feel comfortable; especially after Rouge burst out laughing.

"Oh Shadow!" She smiled in amusement. "You really know nothing about disguises; thankfully, I am the master of all stealth. _Darkness_ will give you away in a blink of an eye; I was going on something more along the lines of _Terios._" Shadow scoffed.

"Well if you think you're so smart then why the hell am I doing this?" He grunted. "It's a waste of time. I'm being a coward. I should have never—", He faced Rouge ready to say more, but he saw thick black circles circling her eyes. Her hands were wrinkled from the water.

"Alright smartass if you don't like it I want my money—"

"No," He put up his hand. "It's fine." _Terios is such a pathetic name._

"If you want. Now if you don't mind I have to catch up on my beauty sleep, _Terios."_ She threw herself onto her bed and fell asleep before she even realized it. Shadow placed a blanket on her.

"Sleep tight, _Maria._"

* * *

><p>Cream's eyes struggled to open. Her head burned with pain. "Cheese. . .?" The chao stood hugging her leg. "Oh, Cheese." She cradled the small chao in her arm. "Please wake up soon . . ." Hours went by and soon darkness surrounded her. Night had fallen and the high vaulted ceiling seemed never-ending. Cream began crying. She never felt so alone, especially without Cheese. What if she never made it out? Her mother must be so worried. She bets Amy is dragging Sonic all around to find her. It gave her a spark of hope if it weren't for a herd of pessimistic thoughts going through her mind. She wiped her tears and sniffled.<p>

"You ok, sweetheart?" An elderly voice echoed from another cell.

"Who's there?" Cream trembled.

"My name is Kiro." A wrinkled yet tender face appeared from the darkness. "I would understand why they'd capture me, but a small girl like you?" He chuckled softly. Cream wasn't sure if he was to be trusted or not, he seemed just like the typical creepy old man.

"S-Sir," She gulped. "My name is Cream. I don't know why I am here. My friend Cheese hasn't woken up yet so I am very afraid. Might you know why I'm here?" She heard the old man sigh.

"My best guess is you're bait. For whom or what? Not a clue." Leaves rustled inside Cream's cell. Cool autumn breezes shivered into Cream's body. Fresh tears went down her face. "Now, Now, please don't cry, sweetie." Kiro comforted her. "Sing a song with me." Cream looked up at the old man. He began humming a tune and soon, she had picked it up.

"_Light up, light up__; __as if you have a choice__. E__ven if you cannot hear my voice__, __I'll be right beside you dear. Louder, louder__, __and we'll run for our lives__. __I can hardly speak, I understand__. __Why you can't raise your voice to say. __"_

Cream was disappointed when the song finished, Cheese had woken up by the end of it and hummed it over and over. While Cheese did so, something inside Cream burst, and it was good. "Run." Kiro nodded. "The youngsters guarding our cells had that song on replay once; I just couldn't get it out of my head since then." He chuckled. "It even gave me hope." A metal door slammed open and light poured in. Men rustled inside with a sack and keys. Men dragged Kiro out and slammed him against his cell wall. They whipped him with metal wires.

"That isn't very nice, you know!" Cream blurted out in annoyance. Tears streamed down her face as Kiro bled from his forehead. "_Please stop!" _A guard opened her door and slapped the daylights out of her.

"_STOP!" _Kiro stood up while blood drooped all over him. "I give in. Take me to your commander but leave Cream alone for good." The men laughed and threw him inside the sack. The men smirked maliciously at her before locking her cell again as if saying _"we will come back for you."_

All the light in the dungeon disappeared with a hard clank of the door. Cream couldn't cry anymore. She's never seen so much blood in her life and never felt so traumatized. It gave her hope though, _the song._ She looked out to her window and flew up to it. She pulled and pulled on the metal bars. Cheese helped her, but they still couldn't open it. Cream, however, was in no condition to giving up though. She spotted a cinderblock on the cell floor and swooped down to retrieve it. She managed to fly it up using all her and Cheese's strength. She slammed it over and over against the metal bars until one clanked off. Cream threw the cinderblock down and crawled through the small opening she had created.

Her and Cheese were now free. She smiled and felt proud of herself beyond belief. She began flying off into the now gentle night, smelling the roses along the way. But all good things, sadly, end.

"Stop right there!" A coarse male voice yelled. A series of footsteps were heard, and soon she was surrounded. A man dressed with a tux and ski mask kneeled in front of her.

"We underestimated you a whole lot. That was _my_ mistake. Now, we need you to come back with us. We can do this the easy or hard way, you decide." Cream's heart skipped beats but she balled her fists and flapped her ears.

"You'll have to catch me first." She sprung up into the stars. She flew as hard as she could. Cheese floated next to her. Cream felt the night's ferocious winds aiding her, but then felt something shank her leg. Her eyes faltered and she became paralyzed as a swift feeling of slumber took over her. She smiled as gravity took her down; she was ready for anything they'd throw at her now.

* * *

><p>Espio crept through the bitter night. G.U.N's main database building lay a few blocks away. When he got there, he realized the quantity of guards there would prevent him from entering. He took a deep breath and willed himself to become invisible. He managed to get inside to the mother board computer room.<p>

"Nothing was stolen and all the files seem to be in check, sir." A guard saluted his boss.

The boss nodded. "Have you searched for DNA prints?"

"Yes, sir. No evidence left behind."

"Security cameras?"

"They report nothing suspicious." The boss shook his head.

"Our mysterious _thief _must have left something. Keep the search up until morning." The boss disappeared inside another room.

Espio himself looked around, feeling that he should at least help them out, despite the fact that he himself is invisible. Hours went by and he convinced himself that G.U.N has simply gone insane and there was no intruder, which is until he noticed a strange seal up on the glass ceiling overhead. Espio got himself outside and onto the roof to check out the strangely sealed glass. The _crunch _of an object made him look down to see he had stepped on a small stick with a heart. _A USB? _ Espio pondered to himself. _This should be important._

Espio went back to HQ with a failure but at the same time, a new path.

* * *

><p>"Silver," Blaze pointed out into the ocean. "Look at all this water . . . it's so—"<p>

"Normal?" Silver finished her sentence for her. "I don't see why we had to come back here. The future is safe, yet the Commander told us otherwise. What if he _isn't_ trying to make our perfect future _better_?"

Blaze shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, Silver. Orders are orders. They told us to come and investigate, and we're doing so. After forty-eight hours we are allowed to come back and report, until then. . ." Blaze smirked. "Let's have fun." She ran across the beach, creating puffs of smoke. The sunrise looked amazing to her, it refreshed her powers in ways no one could imagine.

"You should really wait for me next time." Her silver companion told her as he flew with his psychokinetic powers.

In a blink of an eye, their perfect moment was ruined. A group of black clad men popped out of a convertible carrying an immense sack. Blaze stopped and held a grip on Silver's wrist to prevent him from running further. "Shhh. . ."She said as she pointed to the suspicious man.

The sack began kicking and his muffled yells could barely be heard. "Shut up, old man!" One of the mysterious figures yanked out a weak human being from the sack and threw him against the sand. "Now," Another figure chuckled. "How do you want this to end up? Like _last _time? Or a cleaner, much simpler way? We will make you talk one way or another." He picked up the weak man by the collar and thrusted him against a rock. "Tell us where _they _are." The poor man remained silent as he bobbed his head sideways. At the snap of the leader's finger, two men dove the old man's face into the ocean. The old man struggled for air and his life.

Silver started to head toward them. "Wait, no." Blaze held him back with an urgent look on her face.

"No Blaze, that man is being tortured. How can you just _stand _here?" He pulled away from her grasp and ran toward the culprits. "Hey you!" The men turned around and yanked the old man's face from the water. His eyes were scorched and red from the salty water. "What on earth are you doing?" At another snap of the leader's fingers; three men practically flew to Silver and attacked him. Metal ropes engulfed him at the blink of an eye.

_That hedgehog is always getting us into trouble. We were supposed to lay low and not cause attraction. Idiot._ Blaze sprang into action to help her companion. She unleashed fiery rays from her finger tips which entrapped the clad men. Silver broke from his ropes and began to use his powers. He lifted all the men and threw them deep into the ocean. The few that remained drove off in a hurry.

"Was throwing them into the ocean really necessary?" Blaze asked Silver but all he did was shrug.

"I didn't know where else to throw. . ." The two team mates went to go aid the poor old man.

"Thank goodness you two came." The man kept throwing up salty water in dangerous quantities. "I don't know if I'd be alive if it weren't for you." Blaze looked at the man. He seemed to be about eighty or less. His face resembled a small rodent, and not the ugly ones. His eyes shone a wild green and his muscles portrayed strength despite his age.

Blaze stood crossing her arms at a safe distance away from the man as she analyzed him. "Would you like us to escort you to, um, wherever you plan on going now?" Silver asked the man.

"Silver!" Blaze's arms went down. Her icy glance warned Silver.

"No it's fine. I can take care of myself." The man struggled to his feet but fell back again.

"Please, I insist." Silver held the weak man's arms so he would not lose his balance. Silver looked over at Blaze. "_We _insist." Blaze rolled her eyes and turned away.

"Yes. We do. Where's your destination?" Blaze's teeth clenched. _We're going to get in so much trouble when we get home._

"Well, my home is in Central City. I'll need to pack up my belongings and flee to my summer home in Emerald Beach. They'll surely come looking for me again."

"We'll help you out, um. . ." Silver began.

"Kiro. My name is_ Kiro._"

* * *

><p><strong>Yup! That's that. I hope you people be enjoying this ;D Cause I put my whole mind and body into this *sniffs* So as you can see, shit's going down. And for those of you who didn't get the joke: Terios was actually supposed to be Shadow's original name meaning "reflection of". But Sonic Team decided Shadow in the end. There's no twist here, I just felt that Terios sounded <em>right<em>. **

**A shout-out to my lil'MaxWaylandGrey! Love ya! :D And my amazing beta, MsKittyKitty555! **

**Now be a dear and review for me;D LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK. **


	6. Memories Renewed, Realizations Adorned

**Last Time on Inverting Mistakes . . .**_ We left off when our fellow furries Tails and Knuckles were scouting around for the Chaos Emeralds and ran into Vector along the way. They were eventually trapped in the jungle because of a metal wall. The "lovers" Amy and Sonic were still in Flowery Fields looking for Cream. Espio and Charmy patiently waited for Vector to get the heck home already._

_**Memories Renewed, Realizations Adorned **_

_"People are ignorant of things they ought to know, and know things of which they ought to be ignorant." ~Les Misérables_

The sun was beginning to set. The pretty warm colors all danced together into the horizon making Amy depressed. She sighed as she glanced at Sonic. _Why can't he at least hold me in his arms once as we watch the sun set? _She thought as she let out another exaggerated sigh.

"You ok?" The azure hedgehog asked in concern.

Amy wanted to beat the daylights outta him for not being able to read her mind. "I'm _fine._" Her companion shrugged and kept searching.

Amy and Sonic were about to call it quits when the pink hedgehog spotted something. "Sonic!" The hedgehog ran to her. She pointed across a lake. There was a dock. The fog and the fading light prevented them from seeing the other side of the crystal lake, but that wasn't any of their concern. Amy wasn't pointing at the scenery, she was pointing on a piece of fabric stuck by a loose nail.

"What is it?" Sonic asked his pink companion as he struggled to get the fabric out from beneath the nail's clutches.

"It's part of Cream's dress." Amy said slowly. An idea sprang into her mind. "We can take it to Tails! He can track her!" Sonic looked at her and gave her a smile that made her heart melt.

"You're a genius, Ames." _He gave me a nickname!_ She couldn't help but annoyingly squeal on the inside. _I'm such a girl. _She blushed to herself and giggled internally. In the meantime, Sonic slowly stepped away from a creepy-looking Amy.

"Let's go!" She called as she dragged her one-day-to-be-lover into the horizon. Sonic couldn't help but smile. _If running makes her happy. . ._he shook his thoughts from his head. _She's pretty cute sometimes, I'll give her that. _He let her drag him to Tail's workshop, he couldn't help but enjoy every second of her giggling, even if at times she _did _drive him insane.

* * *

><p>The sun had already begun to go down. Knuckles was about to blow from frustration, Tails was about to break out in hysteria, and Vector just couldn't shut his mouth about his favorite rappers. It's as if he stalks them, <em>I swear. <em>Just when all home and sanity seemed lost, there was a door. Yes, a _door._

Tails raced to it and immediately examined the touch screen. "Mhmm. . . It says to slide your pass key through slot in order to enter. . ." Knuckles shoved his two-tailed friend to the side.

"Pass key my ass. We're breaking in." Knuckle's fist was just inches away from hitting the screen when Tails yelled out to stop.

"Do you _want _to get caught by whoever is here, Knuckles?" The echidna had yet to notice how much his fox friend had matured over the course of their adventures. It made him feel condescended in a way. "I can hack into the network and get us inside without anyone knowing, I can even shut off the cameras; we will need for them to be shut off." Knuckles steps to the side and crosses his arms. A few minutes later, Tails smiles at his success.

"We ready to go in then?" Vector called out. The fox boy nodded as he clicked a red button on a small device he held.

The threesome went on into the industrial fortress. The walls were made up of silver metal panels nailed to the side, and huge military lamps lighted the way for the group. The lamps were bigger than a sofa. There was an awful smell corrupting the place. It smelled of dead corpses and hazardous medical liquids. As the group progressed into the strange place, the metal panels changed color depending on the corridor one takes.

"So. . .the copper or gold hallway?" Vector asked his companions as he faced left and right simultaneously. Tails was too concentrated on his device to pay any heed to his question.

"We better shut up unless we want anyone finding us in here." The red hothead hissed to the crocodile. Tails shushed his companions.

"Okay," The fox whispered to his friends. "The copper one leads us to the computer rooms and/or data base rooms and the gold hallway leads to _experiments_." Vector had an urge into racing to the computer room. He couldn't figure out why.

"Experiments?" Knuckles took the device from Tails. Tails shrugged and took his device back.

"First off, you were holding it backwards. And yes, I can't tell exactly what is meant by that but all I know is that we best stay away from the gold corridor." Tails whispered.

"So," Vector finally began whispering. "We find the computer room?" Tails nodded. Vector couldn't contain his excitement, but he still failed to figure out why.

"Let's go." Knuckles called as the group headed into the copper colored hallway.

As they went on, Tails suddenly put out his arm. "Wait, stop. Someone's coming." He looked up at Knuckles for backup. The hotheaded echidna looked back and nodded, stating their mutual agreement. Knuckles would knock them out and Tails would find a way to make the victim unnoticed by anyone else who comes about. The fool-proof plan would be more efficient if their blue teammate was there to assist them.

They hid in the shadows. The sound of static noises approaching could only mean the passerby had to be a type of mechanical being or something. Vector was shaking in uncontrollable anxiety. Turns out, it wasn't a robot. It was a cat. She held a clip board and talked through a headset.

"Yes, this is Nicole." A loud voice shouted from the other end of the headset. "_No, _I am not an imposter." More shouting. "Commander, there is no one here. . ." Her eyes looked at the odd group. "Commander—" Knuckles covered her mouth and shot her a death glare. The auburn cat shook with fear. She clutched her eyes in panic. Tails slowly took of her headset.

"Yup, nothing here, Commander." Tails did his best Nicole impression, which made Vector and Knuckles want to burst out in laughter. Knuckles threw Nicole into Vector's arms. She squirmed, but Vector made it pretty clear that she wasn't escaping. Knuckles punched open a metal panel and threw Nicole inside.

"Knuckles—" Tails shook his head in fright when Knuckles tempted to trap the cat in there. "You can't be that cruel. We don't even know these people's afflictions."

"Do these metal walls look cute to you?" Knuckles growled.

"Knuckles," Vector joined the argument. "Just knock her out and leave a small opening in the panel for her to get out." Knuckles and Tails looked at each other surprised. Did Vector just come up with a _plan_? A _working _plan?

"That's still cruel but," Tails whispered as he looked at Knuckles. "Not a bad idea." Tails looked at his small radar device. "Better hurry though. A group of people are going to pass by here in a few minutes." Vector took out a cloth and stuck it into the girl's face. Her eyes flickered and her limbs gave out into Knuckles' arms. He nodded at his companions and placed her inside the panel and shoved it back into place.

The team walked on through the hallway in silence, that is, until Knuckles broke it. "So," He whispered to Vector. "Why _do_ you carry around chloroform?"

"I've been reading detective novels lately." Vector called proudly. "A good detective _must_ be a handy person. So now, I carry around everything, you name it."

"I don't think I want to. . ." Vector shrugged.

"Suit yourself."

The odd group came across a door. The metal door was a charcoal color. It was double their size and could only be opened with another code. "Tails, do your thing." Knuckles called out to his friend. Tails went to work with pride for being recognized. In a few seconds, they were in.

"Tails where did you learn all this?" Vector asked curiously. He took out a pad and pencil.

"Eh, the internet?" The fox giggled. "Let's just say this fox had too much time on his hands. Still does." Vector wrote furiously and put the pad away afterwards.

Knuckles put his arm around the fox. "I need to introduce you to some _friends_ of mine." Tails slid Knuckles' arm off his shoulder.

"Yeah, um, no thanks." The fox chuckled slowly.

The group went inside only to find a room full of computers. Well, _duh. _It's a data base room. The green screens lighted the dark and the room was also humidly freezing. Tails hit the switch and the room lit up. The genius fox boy did his thing and hacked into the biggest computer there—the mother board.

"Don't touch _anything_." Tails hissed at his companions. Of course, there was a shatter in the background. "What did you guys—?" Tails face-palmed himself. Vector and Knuckles were scrambling to pick up the glass pieces of assorted test tubes. They were flinching in pain when the glass cut them. "Guys. . ." Tails called. "Come here. Look at this." There was a picture of a familiar rabbit on the screen.

"That's. . .that's Cream!" Knuckles almost shouted. Several creepy screenshots of Cream in different places flickered on the screen.

"They've been spying on her!" Vector said loudly.

"But _why_?" Tails called as his eyes scanned the letters on the screen. "She was kidnapped. . ." His breathing became heavy. "She was kidnapped just yesterday!" He fingers danced across the keyboard and clashed the keys furiously. _She's currently in a prison in a forest, but will be moved soon. There's still hope._ He connected his strange radar device into the computer. The fox boy pointed toward the entrance. "Keep guard. Someone's coming." The other two shook themselves from their trance and barricaded the door. Tails yanked out his odd multitasking device. He went with his comrades.

"What now?" Tails asked. He, sadly, was never good with the whole make-an-escape-plan-at-short-notice thing. For this he looked to Sonic, but seeing how he's not here, he turns to Knuckles.

"The vent!" The red echidna yelled, on cue. Tails flew up and unscrewed the vent. People on the other side of the door struggled to get in, and in a few moments, began firing lasers. Vector and Knuckles did their best to deflect them with any mirror they could find while their fox boy unscrewed their way to freedom.

"Got it!" He yelled at his companions. Knuckles flew in the vent, tuck and roll style. Vector struggled but eventually made it. Tails screwed the vent back on quickly and joined his friends. As the three companions slid through the vents, they could hear the barricade they made come crashing down in heaps of explosions.

"Faster!" Vector hissed. Tails began sweating with anxiety, so much he couldn't even crawl with his trembling limbs.

After a few more pounding minutes of crawling, he crashed into Vector. "What?" Tails asked.

Vector turned around. "Knuckles fell. Like down. . .on a slide." Tails twitched his eyes.

"Then _go!_" The poor fox couldn't control his stress so he pushed the poor crocodile down. The fox slid down and was tempted to yell from the joyride. The fox then landed on a cold tile floor. "How did—?" Knuckles shushed him. They were still inside the fortress.

It didn't help that it was pitch dark in there. "I don't know where we are." Knuckles shook his head as he whispered to the fox. Tails took out his multitasking device and checked out where they were. "Mhmm. . .It appears we're on the other side. The_ medical _side of this fortress." Besides being in a pitch black room, it didn't help that the creepiest noises surrounded them.

"Guys," Vector called nervously. "I think we are where the experiments—" Tails' device began beeping furiously. Knuckles and Vector looked at Tails frantically.

"There's a chaos emerald here!" Tails told Knuckles.

"_Where?_" Growled the echidna. The lights switched on, blinding them for a while. Vector shrugged as he slowly dropped his hand from the switch.

"I don't like the dark . . ." Vector mumbled out an explanation. That was the least of their concerns when they looked up and saw the experiments.

"Wh-What? What is this?" Knuckles asked, putting several feet in between him and the test tube life forms.

"Oh my," Tails looked around. Inside the tubes were deformed creatures. Fishes with human legs. Weird sucking beings that sucked the glass endlessly. There were one-eyed turtles with one flipper. Anything else you can imagine was there as well. "This is horrible." The device beeped louder and louder.

"We should _really _be getting that emerald." Knuckles growled. "Instead of looking at," Knuckles pointed to the poor turtle. "These freaks."

"Let's go." Vector encouraged. This place gave him the creeps, along with an odd feeling to throw up. They headed toward the exit.

Tails looked back before switching off the lights. The poor beings looked at Tails with sadness. "Sorry guys." Tails switched off the lights and shut the door.

He met up with the rest of his gang and they went whichever way would make the device beep louder and louder. They made it a room that contained the chaos emerald floating in an oversized test tube. There were a few scientists in there securing wires onto the test tube. The three of them stood in the hallway eavesdropping on their conversation.

"Glad we finally have our day off tomorrow." Scientist number uno said.

"You've said it." This was a female voice. Really high pitched and annoying.

"I'm not so sure." A raspy voice called. He seriously needs some cough drops.

"Why's that?" The first guy called.

"With all the Shadow the Hedgehog business, people say he's after _everyone_." The course voice said.

"Like, everyone involved with the reopening of the ARK?" The female called. "That hedgehog is _cray cray_!" Seriously, she should lay off the coffee.

"I bet he just can't handle the thought of another one like him is going to be created." The first scientist called cockily. Knuckles looked at Tails. Vector stared blankly at the floor. Sure, Shadow is a mess, but it also felt wrong to be overhearing this bs about him.

"Wait, _what?_" The female scientist asked.

"Didn't you hear? They plan on generating another immortal being. It's a rumor. There's also another rumor that there's _something _in space that needs to be either destroyed or retrieved." The raspy voice called.

The other male scientist sighed. "I hate it when they never tell us the truth. We survive off rumors."

_That's it,_ Knuckles thought, _I want my emerald back now. _The scientists began shrieking when they saw the famous echidna. Vector had to knock them all out with chloroform. In the meantime, Knuckles finally got to smash the living daylights out of the test tube. The green emerald beamed furiously, calling out to its guardian. Alarms blared and the room was soon drowned in a bloody red light.

"Come on!" Tails yelled. He hit a couple of more switches and soon, the Tornado could be heard just beyond the wall, along with a clatter of footsteps headed this way. "Knuckles, break us out!" Vector punched the switch to insure the doors can _remain _locked to buy them more time. Eventually, Knuckles managed to break them out. They piled into the Tornado and Tails flew them out. After reaching a safe distance, Tails looked over at Vector. "Where do we drop you off?"

"My office." Vector groaned. "This was some day." He looked up at the starry night and sighed.

"You said it." Knuckles called, polishing his emerald.

The team eventually dropped Vector off and flew to Tails' workshop, safely into the beaming stars.

* * *

><p>Espio entered the office. He had bloodshot eyes and really wanted to meditate his stress out, but couldn't. Not <em>now.<em>

"Espio!" Charmy buzzed over to him. "It's three in the morning! Where did you go?"

"GUN." The chameleon sat on the sofa. "Where's Vector?

The bee shrugged. "I don't know." He cleared his throat. "I talked to everyone except Knuckles and Tails! Cream has been kidnapped! And, and, and Shadow crashed that party we couldn't go to because Vector—!" Charmy did not pause between any words making Espio freak.

"_Slow down._" The anthropologic chameleon grabbed the bee's skull.

The bee took a deep breath. "Shadow is now one of the country's most wanted. He tried to kill _the_ President."

The chameleon fondled his chin in thought. "Well, I did find this." He lifted a heart shaped USB. "I was trying to get in GUN for information and came across this when looking for their 'thief'." The duo went to their computer and plugged it in. Slowly all this information, blueprints, modifications of the ARK were shown.

"What's _that_?" Charmy smudged his finger against the screen. Espio smacked his hand away.

Espio looked at the strange _beastly _anthropologic animal on the screen. "I don't know what _that_ is, Charmy." Espio clattered his fingers against the keyboard. "What did Rouge say about all this?"

"She told me to get lost basically." _Mhmm. . .how peculiar, _thought the chameleon. Just then, someone tore through the door. Espio, however, wasn't taken by surprise. He already was in position to begin shooting ninja stars.

"Vector?" The ninja put his blades down. The crocodile panted.

"You won't believe where I went." The anthropologic crocodile smiled maliciously. The group quickly interchanged information and resumed examining the USB's contents.

"Shall we set out to Cream's prison then, Vector?" Espio asked his boss. He responded with a nod.

"It's late and I'm tired!" Charmy buzzed over to the sofa and crashed.

"I think we should join him." Espio got up and yawned before going into the next room. "Good night, Vector."

"Night."

* * *

><p><strong>Ah! :D Sorry for the wait, chaps! I hoped you like! I love writing these chappies 8DDD Also, next chapter will be up tomorrow :DD Whoo!<strong>

**Shout outs to Storm337, MaxWaylandGrey, Lucy Labrador, WinterMuffin, Mimi In La La Land, and my beta, MsKittyKitty555!**

**Review if you know what's good for you ;)**


	7. This Machine

**A/N: This is finally the next day.**

**Last Time on Inverting Mistakes . . .**_ Rouge the Bat had just finished giving Shadow the Hedgehog the biggest makeover ever, and renaming himself Terios. Then, Cream the Rabbit had attempted to escape her prison and tasted freedom, providing hope for herself. In the mean time, Silver the Hedgehog and Blaze the Cat agreed on helping a strange man called Kiro to his home in order to help him flee. Lastly, E123-Omega was taken prisoner during the ARK Reopening Ceremony. What shall happen next?_

_**This Machine**_

"_He dreamed of her every night. And then there came to him good fortune for which he had not even hoped, oil upon the fire, double darkness upon his eyes. . ." ~Les Misérables_

The room was cold and dark. E123-Omega switched on his lights and looked around to examine his surroundings. _GUN Prison, Cell Number 8467. 56__º F. Energy: 100%. Shadow is at GUN Training Grounds. Rouge is. . .at. . .location cannot be found._ The robot broke free from his chains.

"Revenge!" Omega yelled in his robotic voice. Shortly after, another robot appeared behind him and captured him. Omega tried to squirm but he was shut down yet again. The other robot passed through the prison walls, swiftly like a ghost, with Omega in his arms. He crept out of the prison unnoticed, and arrived before the rim of the ocean. Overlooking the beautiful, yet deadly waters.

* * *

><p>Shadow, er—<em>Terios—<em>sat in the waiting room. He was scheduled to try out to be a GUN Agent. _I can't believe I gave into Rouge's idea. . ._He thought. Just then, speaking of the devil, Rouge came inside. She caught the attention of the other various anthropologic animals and humans waiting as well for the GUN Training. She was used to it. Heck, Shadow was used to it. He glared at anyone else looking at Rouge. He had always been very possessive over his friends. Everyone looked away at the sight of his death glare. He smirked sadistically.

"Good morning," The bat flirted with him. "My name is Rouge the Bat and I will be your guide. If you need anything, just holler." She winked at him as she extended her hand. Shadow took it.

"Nice to meet you, _Rouge._" He squeezed her hand. "My name is Terios the Hedgehog. It'll be a _pleasure_ working with you." Rouge stooped down and whispered into his ear.

"You really need to change your attitude more. Try being a combination of Sonic and Knuckles." Shadow groaned. She already gave him so many theatrical lessons. It frustrated him hearing that he _still _can't pull it off. "You also need to morph your voice a lil' higher." She stood back up and waved goodbye to him. As soon as she left, everyone looked at him with envy for having such a sexy partner.

"It's not my fault I got a hot partner, haters." He growled out to them. He felt so different, so unlike himself. _I sound like the blue bastard already._

"Terios?" A man came in and called him to the training grounds. They walked through a hallway that Shadow always walked through to observe the future members. As Terios, he had to at least act marveled at the spectacular training ground.

"I like your training grounds." Is all he managed to huff out. He hated commenting on everything around him.

"Thank you; it's the most advanced in the world." The soldier replied.

Terios underwent the same training program he did just a few years ago. His pride prevented him from beating Shadow's score. He had to act pathetic to them, but at the same time, highly competent. The final test was always his favorite. It was meant to create your worst fear into a reality. This is the test people rarely past, and it determines your rank.

"You ready?" The doctor, who had just finished plugging cables in and putting pads on him, asked. Terios nodded. _Of course I'm ready, I'm the Ultimate Life form. _The doctor nodded and put him to sleep.

He blacked out and underwent his hallucination. _He saw himself with Rouge. She lies dying and near a crater. "T-Terios. . ." Her eyes tried flickering shut while cringing to the pain of a black eye. "Take this, and save the world." She handed him a Chaos Emerald. Their hand remained intertwined with the Chaos Emerald between them. "They deserve a chance. Everyone does." She groaned. "Please. . . " Her eyes stopped flickering and her hand went lifeless. _

_Terios stared into the red bleeding sky, __yelling in anger. Power was building up inside of him. He gently placed his friend's body down on a pillow of flowers, and then he flew up into the sky to look at the world burn. He couldn't bring himself to feel bad for the world, not anymore. They, once again, killed his best friend. Power began eroding off him._

"_Chaos . . . BLAST!" Just as how he was watching the world be destroyed once and for all, he saw his gray fur stripping off as well as his yellow quills. He became Shadow the Hedgehog. Himself. He felt odd though; divided between himself and his alter self which Rouge created. A morbid feeling inside him arose. What if she created a form of Shadow that would finally appeal to her? It was impossible though, she couldn't be that evil. . .right?_

Shadow woke. Terios woke. The doctor had a frown on his face. "Well, you pass. Barely." Shadow was glad that the doctor couldn't actually see what he dreamed but only read how his physical being would react to the stress levels. Soon the doctor had a smile. "Nevertheless, congrats. You're now a rookie in GUN. Welcome abroad." They shook hands. Shadow looked around to see the faces of disappointed trainees who didn't make it in. He looked up to the observatory glass where the Commander stood tall and proud. Shadow found himself scanning the glass for Rouge, but she wasn't there.

* * *

><p>Rouge flew through the sunny sky. She was tracking her USB while Shadow underwent the training program. . .<em>again.<em> She had a feeling he would rather have her looking for the USB than creepily watching him. Shadow's powers always interested her as much as any gem did. To her, he was like a beautiful diamond waiting to come out; until this happened, he'll remain a black, cold, charcoal jerk. That's what Knuckles is for. Where Shadow calls her immature, Knuckles always follows her flow and games; even if in the end he'll end up hating her for being such a boss. But they quickly make up and move on. She wouldn't be able to choose her favorite though; they were both the most interesting gems she's ever laid eyes on. Gems, she knows on the inside, she'll never acquire. Depressingly enough.

The tracker led her to familiar detective agency. _The Chaotix have it? Rats, they're working for the Commander. Better be "careful". _She landed near a bush a peeked inside the windows, securing the area. Her excellent hearing abilities told her there was security cameras beeping inside. When she snuck through a window, she programmed the cameras to shut down for five minutes exactly.

The tracker didn't tell her _exactly_ where it was hidden so she looked around—trashing the place. _This is so fun._ She thought as she uncapped a Sharpie and began squiggling the walls. Finally, after fooling around, she found the USB under Espio's pillow. She replaced it with a decoy. Just when the cameras turned back on, she snapped the window shut. _I should trash Angel Island next; I'd love to see that echidna's face when he sees everything out of place. _She texted Terios on her GUN communicator to meet her back at the Club. She flew off into the horizon, humming nice tunes.

Then, suddenly, a shadow blocked her sunlight. It was a robot. She was ready or combat. It wasn't necessary though. The robot hugged Rouge and gagged her. She squirmed or her freedom but it appeared the robot was _made_ just for kidnapping. The merry robot began flying to another location. Soon, they stood above the surface of an ocean.

"Commencing launch. In_ five_," Rouge began kicking the robot in all ways possible. She only managed to scratch it and nothing more. "_Four, three_," The robot strapped an iron ball onto Rouge's ankle and an oxygen mask. "_Two, One._" For once, she didn't want the robot to let her go. The anthropologic bat shut her eyes. _Oh great, I'm going to die, and my make-up is going to smear._ She submerged in the deep sea. Bubbles rose from her mask. The pressure built on top of her but something in the mask disappeared that pounding feeling. The chain on her ankle was too secure, so she couldn't be freed.

* * *

><p>Shadow arrived at the Club. He went ahead and made himself a smoothie. The guy just underwent a terrible nightmare. The saddest part is that last time he took that test; it was the exact same hallucination. Only it wasn't Rouge pleading to him, it was Maria. In his mind, Rouge and Maria were the same. Even if Rouge was way different than her, their inner motives intertwined. It was a mystery to Shadow. The door knob rattled. Shadow stood up from the sofa. <em>Rouge must be here.<em>

Wrong. It was an enormous robot, his arms stretched out in elastic cords to get the hedgehog. Shadow dodged his arms, but the robot sprouted another two arms for Shadow. Eventually the arms trapped him in a corner and enwrapped Shadow against the robot's chest.

"Chaos—!" He stopped himself. He's in Rouge's home. He can't blow it up. The robot went outside and sky rocketed into the clouds above. The robot gagged Shadow. Soon, they were on top of an ocean.

"Commencing launch. In _five_," Shadow flinched in recognition of the situation. He sent Chaos spears out to the robot but it deflected them, only leaving dents. "_Four, three_," The robot strung three iron balls onto each of Shadow's ankles, then stuck a mask on his face "_Two, One_." The robot dropped Shadow several feet high into the ocean. He submerged at an extremely high rate, eventually blacking out.

* * *

><p>Kiro unlocked his door trembling. He was still in shock that he wasn't dead. "Mister Kiro," Blaze began. "Is there anything you want us to assist you in packing?"<p>

"Food, please." The man mumbled as he walked into his room. "Thanks again. You're very kind."

Silver and Blaze got a cardboard box and began piling all the canned food possible in there. "You know," Silver began as he placed a can of corn into the box. "I wonder what Kiro did for him to get captured."

"I've been pondering about that for some time now." The purple cat told her companion. "I guess he has information they want or," She looked around to make sure the man wasn't eavesdropping. "He _is_ the bad guy."

"Blaze, I can't see any trace of him being anything evil." She shrugged.

"I still believe we cannot trust anyone." The placed they box in the living room and waited for the old man to finish packing. They scanned the simple furnished living room. "Silver," Blaze got up and headed to a small bureau. The anthropologic cat picked up a small picture frame. "It's Eggman. He's terribly old though." Silver walked in next to her.

"How many years are we into the future?" Silver asked his purple companion.

"The exact same we came back last time. So why is he so old?" Blaze though aloud.

"That's because that's _not_ Eggman." The duo turned around. Kiro carried three small briefcases, but set them down for the time being. "That's Professor Gerald Robotnik, Eggman's grandfather." The two anthropologic animals made way for Kiro to get to the picture. "I worked as his apprentice fifty years ago. Everything he created or made, it was with me. I learned my passion from the greatest genius of all time. Sadly, he got killed by GUN while I visited my family on earth." Silver and Blaze resented even noticing the picture frame. They could see through Kiro's eyes the great pain it brought him to remember his past. "Come along companions, we have a beach mansion to go to." He smiled at them as he took the picture frame with him.

The duo took his briefcases from his hand. Silver carried the box off food with his telekinesis. Kiro called a cab and it took them to a train station. The ride on the train took them about five hours. The sun was just about setting peacefully when they arrived. The hedgehog and cat helped Kiro carry all his things. The house was next to the beach, with a beautiful evergreen forest behind it. The house was Victorian in style. Kiro got out an antique key and unlocked the enormous house.

"Welcome to the Robotnik summer home. I haven't been in here since the tragedy happened on the ARK." One could tell the house must have been beautiful at one point, but now, it had cobwebs were everywhere, furniture was covered in white sheets, and dust invaded the floor. "No one will ever think of checking here. This house belonged to the Professor. And now belongs to Ivo—I mean—Eggman. He's never come in here though."

Blaze fell in love instantly with the vintage home. It was the decoration she always wanted for her castle, but was never allowed to change it. "We shall clean it," She looked over to Silver with a twinkle in her eye. "Correct?" He nodded happily.

The group rigged the electricity and managed to get all the light they'll need. Soon the anthropologic animals decided on cleaning the whole first floor. Blaze ran around taking the sheets off the priceless furniture. Silver got rid of the dust in a blink of an eye with his powers. Soon, the duo began moping the main floor like a game.

"I _so_ won." Silver called to his best friend.

"Lies!" The cat laughed. She was surprised at herself. She hardly had fun. The cat had even forgotten about her worries before. Like Silver said, what _could _happen?

The stairs creaked as Kiro descended upon them. "Oh my," He mumbled. The duo looked up at him. "I haven't seen the house this clean since Gerald lived here. That was _sixty_ years ago!" The man beamed with pride. Silver and Blaze knew it hurt when he talked about his old friend, but he also loved doing so. "Come you two, I'll show you to your rooms." They flew up the stairs.

"Blaze," The man opened a door to reveal a room fit for a princess. "Your room." It was full of dust and the furniture was covered. Not for long though. The duo cleaned it in two minutes or less. The walls were a warm pastel olive color. The room contained a white writing desk, and the bed had lilac bed spreads with beige curtains falling around it. There was also a small sitting space on the window to overlook the ocean.

Next was Silver's room. Kiro beamed at the two anthropologic animals. He enjoyed seeing them have fun with this. Silver's room had creamy beige walls. The bed had royal blue bed spreads. He also had a writing desk, but it was a dark brown oak color. There was a trunk at the foot of the bed of the same color. "Thanks, Kiro."

"My home is yours as well. Welcome." Silver was at a loss for words, Blaze was just plain speechless.

"Thanks. . ." She mumbled.

"And don't worry. The bed sheets are freshly washed. I stuck them into the laundry machine while you two cleaned." They smiled.

The whole house was spotless in an hour. The backyard was weed-free and all. Kiro had prepared food when they finished. They dined warm broth and warm tea with crackers.

"I hate to ask of this from you two, but I have a favor." He took spoonful of the broth.

"Anything, Kiro." Silver called out to him from across the round table.

"The men who took me away also have a young girl prisoner. Her name is Cream, Cream the Rabbit." Blaze dropped her spoon and got up.

"I know her." Kiro looked at the cat funny. "Why do they have her? She's as innocent as any flower."

"Exactly my point." He cleared his throat. "They were planning to transfer us to another prisoner soon. It's on volcano island." The cat nodded.

"Should we go tonight?" Silver looked at his friend.

"I intended you to do so. I have a feeling they'll be transferring her tonight." She nodded and sat back down.

"Consider it done."

* * *

><p>Cream the Rabbit woke to the sound of the metal door opening. "What do you want with me?" She called out. Cheese was next to her, standing their ground.<p>

"Oh, nothing in general, sweetie. You see, we need to change you to another prison." The rabbit inched to the corner of the cell.

"Don't touch me." The man laughed as he grabbed her foot. Another man came in behind him and grabbed Cheese. They took them outside and threw them into a trunk. That trunk was inside a submarine.

"Poor girl," Cream overheard one of the pilots calling. "I heard they aren't letting her go until next spring." _Spring? It's barely going to be spring again. So I'll be here for a year?_ The poor Rabbit shuddered at the thought.

"If only she was lucky like Kiro." _Kiro? What happened to him?_

"Oh yeah, I heard the guys sent out to make him talk let him get away."

"That's not all. The old man had help. A silver hedgehog and a purple cat came to the rescue."

There was a pause. "You know this situation is turning worse once the anthropologic animal pests get involved."

"You said it, Dante. Though," The other guy called. "You're one to talk, I mean, you _are _one of them."

Cream gasped. "Yeah, but unlike them, _I_ know what's good for me." A pause. Dante then broke the silence. "I hope they find him though. We need him in order to enter the ARK's database. He is the only surviving apprentice of the Professor, _and _the one whom he entrusted to the most."

Cream never got to hear the rest because she blacked out alongside with Cheese from a lack of oxygen. Eventually, the submarine emerged, through a boiling lake. The two prisoners were handcuffed to a leash and woken.

Cream rubbed her eyes. "Welcome to Volcano Island." A man with a ski mask told her. You'll love it here, I assure you." The poor rabbit was thrown into yet another cell. The irony of this was, it was freezing. The night went by swiftly, yet Cream couldn't go to sleep.

_Clang! _Cream looked around her cold dark cell. "Who's there?" She called. Two figures appeared as silhouettes beyond her cell bars.

A familiar female voice called out to her. "We're going to bust you out, Cream."

The rabbit whimpered. "B-Blaze?"

* * *

><p>Rouge woke up in a comfy armchair. She looked around. <em>Where the hell am I? <em>Through the glass walls, fishes swam. Across from her, Terios was asleep on a similar armchair. She got up and raced to him. She didn't even question why she wasn't chained to the chair.

"Shadow. . ." She mumbled to her friend as she shook him.

"Rouge?" A robotic voice called out to her behind her. The bat turned around.

"Omega?" She flew to her companion and hugged him. "I missed you." The robot remained motionless. (He still doesn't understand why Rouge always wrapped her arms around him whenever they see each other. It felt nice though.)

"What happened to Shadow?" He pointed at the yellow and gray hedgehog. "Why is his physical appearance rearranged?"

"Because we need to conceal his true identity. He escaped the attack, unlike you." She looked around. "Omega, scan the area to find out where we are."

"I have already tried. It is unknown." His robotic voice remained neutral.

"Ho! Ho! Ho!" The two spun around to find the mad doctor standing there. "Welcome to my secret lab!" Eggman bowed to his company. Omega and Rouge jumped in front of lifeless Shadow to defend him. Omega got out his missiles ready for fire.

"On your mark, Rouge." She nodded.

"Wait!" The doctor yelled. "Don't blow up my beautiful fortress just yet! I brought you here to make a proposal." Omega was ready to commence firing but Rouge held up her hand.

"What do you mean?" The doctor grabbed her hand and kissed it.

"My beautiful Rouge," He only looked over at Omega who was still aiming at him. "I believe you three are all against the Space Colony ARK reopening, correct?" Shadow began moaning.

"What?" He mumbled. Rouge rushed to his side while Omega remained motionless, still aiming at Eggman.

"Shadow, we're with Eggman." The gray hedgehog looked around.

He stood up and faced Eggman. "What do you want, doctor?" Eggman laughed.

"Well, I was getting to that, _Terios._" The doctor cleared his throat. "As I was saying, you three are all against the Space Colony ARK reopening. Well, so am I. They plan on recreating my grandfather's greatest creation," The odd shaped doctor pointed at Shadow. "You." He pressed a button on a remote and an armchair popped out from the floor. The doctor sat on it. "There is another GUN branch that has been created exactly for this purpose. Their motives are dirty and sick though. They plan on getting this," A screen had also popped out while he talked. He pointed at a weird object floating through space. "I'm not sure what it is but I know it's better if _no one_ finds it." Rouge motioned to Omega to put away the weapons.

"What exactly do you want from us though?" Shadow interrogated the obese doctor.

"We will join forces. You two are already in GUN," He pointed at Shadow and Rouge. "I have been observing you three since the attack on the ceremony. Disguising Shadow was a magnificent idea even I myself would have never thought of. We all know Rouge will be assigned to be the first one to explore the ARK before the remolding begins. You need to make sure Terios is with you while you do so. You two need to gather information on that object in space before the others do. We will make sure to retrieve it before they do. Once they lose hope for the object, we'll send it back into orbit."

"Hold on," The yellow hedgehog called. "We never agreed to work with you."

"Besides," The materialistic bat began. "What's in it for us? How do we know you don't plan on keeping the object for your own dirty uses?"

The Eggman laughed. "I'll put Shadow in charge of it. How's that?" The team looked at each other suspiciously. "You three are the most competent people I've known. You want something, you three stop at nothing to get it."

"Fine." Shadow turned around. "Anything to stop the reopening." He looked over at his two friends. "I don't join though, if Rouge or Omega don't agree."

The bat stood in thought. "If I get to keep some of the Chaos Emerald we get, I'm in."

"Consider it done, my love." Eggman tossed the yellow Emerald out to the bat.

"Omega?" Shadow asked his friend.

"I do not agree with the plan, but if Shadow and Rouge do, then this is a good choice. The doctor's death will be swift if he changes any arrangement he has told us about."

"We're in, doctor." Shadow called out to his old ally.

"Welcome aboard, _Team Dark_."

* * *

><p><strong>Gahhh I know I said it would be updated the next day D; My beta diappeared shortly so hopefully my awful grammer skills did the trick +.+ ENJOY!<strong>


	8. I Don't Want To Be In Love

Yes, you can say Good Charlotte got to me ;) You might as _well_ jam out to this awesome song while you read this. "_I Don't Want To Be In Love by Good Charlotte"._

**A/N: The first part takes place the night before. The rest is the same day as last chapter.**

**Last Time on Inverting Mistakes . . .**_ You'd think Tails, Knuckles, and Vector would be cautious into where they'd stick their noses in. After gathering all sorts of information (and even a Chaos Emerald), they busted themselves out of the strange metal fortress. Amy and Sonic had headed toward the sunset, toward Tail's workshop, after finding a piece of Cream's dress. Vector arrived back at his office, discovering even more information which Espio and Charmy figured out. But wait! Why are so many feelings bursting out from the cast? Why are they getting ranndom love spurts __**now**__? _

_**I Don't Want To Be In Love**_

"_Learning to trust is one of life's most difficult tasks." ~__Isaac Watts_

"And then that's Orion." Sonic pointed toward the beautiful starry night.

"Tell me another one." Amy pleaded. She was lying on the ground next to her azure hedgehog.

"Well," Amy's hand was searching the ground for Sonic's hand while he scanned his finger across the night sky and paused once he found the collisions of stars he was looking for. "There's Taurus." The pink hedgehog enjoyed this moment. She didn't even have a sudden feeling to start annoying Sonic. This moment just felt _right_. She finally found his hand and interlaced her hand with his.

The Tornado's propellers were shuttering through the night. Soon after, footsteps approached the two hedgehogs. "Um, Sonic? Amy?" Tails rubbed the back of his head.

"Mhmm?" The azure hedgehog had his eyes closed.

"Why are you two on my front porch?" Sonic's eyes snapped open and he let go of Amy's hand.

"We were waiting for _you_." The "impatient" hedgehog called out to his brother. Amy pouted behind him. _He let go of my hand. . ._

"Yeah. . ._sure_." Knuckles hissed under his breath.

"_Can it, echidna_." The azure hedgehog smirked playfully to his friends. "Anyway, Cream is gone so we were wondering if we can track her with this." The hedgehog took out a piece of orange torn fabric.

"No need," The fox unlocked his home/workshop. "Knuckles and I know exactly where she is. She's scheduled to be moved to another prison in a volcano tonight," The group went inside and helped themselves to some tea. They all discussed their happenings and how they somewhat relate.

"So want to head out tomorrow morning?" Knuckles asked.

"Of course!" Amy yelled at the anthropologic echidna across her seat. "We should be heading out _now_. But you two need your rest, that's just as important."

The group had a moment of silence; they were drinking their tea. "Poor Cream. . ." Tails mumbled unintentionally. Sonic and Knuckles smirked at each other with a mutual agreement hidden behind their facial expressions.

The azure hedgehog got up and wandered deeper into Tails's home. He came back with sleeping bags. "Let's sleep outside, guys."

"Great idea." Tails's face lit up immediately.

"Oh yes!" The pink hedgehog took two of the sleeping bags and proceeded outside with Tails.

"Not bad, hedgehog." The hothead looked over at his friend. His expression shifted emotions though. "I'm still worried about Cream though."

"So am I."

"They had been _spying _on her. How do we know they aren't doing the same to us?" The hedgehog threw a sleeping bag to his companion.

"I don't know, Knuckles." A malicious smile grew upon the hedgehog's face. "If these people _are_ connected to GUN, you can always ask Rouge. I'm sure she'll tell you _all_ you want to hear."

"_Can it, hedgehog_." Knuckles's anger went away fast. The two smirked at each other. _We're even now, Sonic, _Knuckles thought.

The azure hedgehog's facial expression turned more serious. "No seriously," Knuckles's smirk disappeared. "_Do _you have any feelings for her?"

Knuckles turned away. "Put it like this, Sonic." He looked at his friend wistfully. "I _don't _want to be in love."

The two friends nodded at each other before going outside to join Amy and Tails. The four best friends scanned the starry sky, laughing the night away. Memories have been their bond for so many years; they always welcomed any new memories to join their mental scrapbook.

* * *

><p>"VECTOR!" The bee buzzed yelling into his boss's ear. "WE ARE SUPER DUPER LATE!" Vector jumped up.<p>

"Charmy, that is no way to wake your boss up!" The crocodile punched Charmy into the next room.

"What is going on in here?" The purple chameleon walked into the room rubbing his eyes. Vector, in the meantime, was trying to perceive that his alarm clock wasn't lying.

"It's three hours past noon!" The crocodile launched himself out from his bed, knocking Espio to his butt.

When the three best friends showered, ate, and Vector finished made himself look dazzling, they set out to look for Vanilla. Her house was a cutely adorned cottage minutes away from Flowery Fields.

"Vector is that you?" She called out to the anthropologic crocodile. _Of course it's him; he's the only crocodile you know, _thought Espio. He shook his malicious thoughts away.

To the two anthropologic animals, this moment was like any fairy tale moment where the brave knight comes in to swoop the damsel in distress off her feet. Vanilla was about to speak and bawl her eyes out, Vector stuck out a finger to interrupt her. "W-We know where Cream is." Vanilla's face lit up and she hugged the crocodile.

In the meantime, the bee was busy barfing his heart out. _This is sooooo grosssss! Is my face like this when I think of Cream? _ The bee complained in his mind.

The trio set off to Volcano Island. Espio had the biggest headache ever, Charmy was still seeing stars, and Vector felt like a million bucks. "Cheer up, boys," His two companions gave him the worst glares in glare history. "You'll be in love one day." Espio shuddered and Charmy reconsidered his standards.

* * *

><p>The four best friends looked at the prison floating in the boiling volcano. "So," Sonic looked over to Tails. "How are we getting down there?" The fox stood still in thought.<p>

"We can always just row ourselves across." Knuckles responded. He pointed toward a ward of metal boats.

"Yeah, but they're guarding them." Tails pointed out. There were some guards socializing around the boats.

"Leave them to me." The pink and blue hedgehog said simultaneously. Amy made her piko-piko hammer poof out of thin air. She nodded at her azure accomplice and they ran off.

"Might as well follow them." Tails called out to Knuckles. He was already gone though.

* * *

><p>"Shh!" Vector smacked Charmy. "They'll hear you." Charmy and Vector were patiently waiting for Espio to come back with the keys to Cream's cell.<p>

"Got them." The ninja changed back to his _visible _form, startling his friends.

"You should really warn us next time. . ." Vector told his ninja friend as he took the keys. They scrammed down the corridor with Espio in the lead.

"Hold up." Espio stood still. "There is someone—" He didn't get to finish. Charmy ran into him and Vector into Charmy. They collided and Espio moaned. "Someone is _here_."

The group stood silent, despite still being on top of each other. Whispers rose louder and louder. "Those voices sure _do_ sound familiar." Charmy's muffled voice called under Vector.

_Meanwhile,_ down the hall: "Amy," Sonic groaned. "Let go of me, _please. _I need space to breathe."

"It must be the guards." Vector growled. You'd think the guy would recognize his allies' voices. "On the count of three, we jump them and knock them out." Espio and Charmy quickly crawled out from under Vector and assumed a fighting stance.

It all happened _too_ fast. Sonic was just approaching the dark sector of the hall that just _happened_ to have a malfunctioning light bulb, and next thing he knows, a bee's stinger is centimeters away from shanking his neck. Amy is tackled by a huge green blur. The green blur coincidently kicks Knuckles where it counts, and Espio trips a poor fox boy. The collision led to a series of punches and kicks.

"V-Vector?" Amy stammered.

"Tails? Amy?" Espio mumbled rubbing his thigh were someone kicked him.

"Espio?" Knuckles moaned in pain.

"Knuckles? Sonic?" Vector called.

"Charmy!" The anthropologic bee yelled. The group glanced at the strange bee with concern.

"_Shhh!_ Someone is coming,_ again_." Espio camouflaged and everyone else did their best to hide. An auburn cat walked down the corridor with a phoenix bird next to her.

"The rabbit is gone! I can't believe they lost her!" The cat hissed to her companion.

"It wasn't _our _fault!" The bird gawked.

"Yeah? You were the one who told me to go take a chill pill because that _child _is too weak to even breathe."

The bird's tone turned pitiful. "Look, I'm sorry we lost her."

"My _job _depended on that twit's imprisonment! Thanks a lot, Dante!" The cat stormed off. The group stopped breathing while she passed by furiously. Fortunately, she was too mad to even notice they were there. Dante stormed off the other way mumbling.

Once the coast was clear, Amy propped down to her knees. "She's gone?" Everyone else felt like complete failures.

Then, something beeped. Everyone looked at Tails. "There's a Chaos Emerald here." He told them.

"This trip hasn't been a total failure just yet." Knuckles growled. "Come on, Tails."

"Bros," Sonic began. "What about me?"

"Stay with Amy and the Chaotix. Look for any clues relating to Cream." Tails called out from afar._ Ouch . . ._ Sonic thought sadly.

"Let's go, Sonic."Amy acknowledged the Chaotix and she ran off the opposite way, with the Chaotix following. Sonic shrugged and went after them.

The groupies arrived at the last cell in the corridor; they only had to knock out about six guards along the way. Amy's hammer did all the work, and Vector's mobile chloroform wipes.

"Whoa. . ." Sonic whistled at the impression of Cream's cell. "Unless Cream gained explosive powers during this time, she could _not_ have blown this up."

The cell was torn apart like a peeled banana. The chameleon approached the rigid metal parts sticking out. "It appears this was blown up from outside the cell." Vector wrote on his trusty detective notepad. "How peculiar. . ."Espio jumped inside the cell. "This wasn't actually blown up," The chameleon dramatically paused. "It was _forced_." Something clicked in Amy's mind.

"There's only one person I know that is capable of this." She whispered. Vector was so excited to have been writing so many notes.

"Shadow?" Charmy buzzed.

"What? _No_," Amy told him. She gave Sonic a look. "_Silver the Hedgehog_."

"_Who?_" The Vector and Charmy stammered. _So, the hedgehog is back, _Espio thought.

* * *

><p>"I don't see where it can be." Knuckles and Tails reached another dead end. "You sure there's an emerald here?" The fox nodded.<p>

"Positive." They went back and continued through the corridors. Tails then stopped. "Knuckles, I think we're being followed."

"What makes you say that?"

The fox shook his head. "Just a feeling."

The two friends finally reached a strange room where the Chaos Emerald was in. The room was completely dark from the edges, but the tube in which the Emerald was in contained a mixture of glimmering neon colors. "It's the _white_ one! The one that got stolen first." Knuckles was already so pumped to get it.

"Let me open up the tube, _safely._" Tails approached the small touch pad and hacked into it. He didn't read much about the glowing liquid because of Knuckles's impatience issues, but he did read something about the substance having energy absorbing abilities. Also, he couldn't help but feel there was someone there, _watching_. Nevertheless, Knuckles got what he wanted.

"Come on, Tails. We've got to get back." The echidna flew out without even waiting for his friend.

"Wait, Knuckles! I still need to—" _Someone _grabbed Tails's wrist before he could finish and plunged him into the dark edges of the room. He was thrown against the wall.

"You're _my _prisoner now." The auburn cat called out to him.

"You're that girl—" Tails began.

"_Yes, _I'm the girl who you and your strange buddies knocked out."

"Nicole." Tails mumbled.

"It's creepy how you know my name." She murmured.

"What do you want?" Tails spat.

"The Emerald." Her eyes gleamed with a craving for power.

"Knuckles took it!" She shushed him.

"I know," She crushed Tails's wrist under her grip. "You see, I have a rival. Her name is _Rouge the Bat, _and she is the company's favorite agent. She was sent here to get _that_ Chaos Emerald. So, I want _you_ to turn on all the cameras that you turned off. Then face them to direction where I'm going to kick your friend's butt so _I _can be the one who gets the Emerald and not _her._" _Rouge is here? What on earth is going on?_

"Why do you hate her so much?" Tails's asked out of curiosity.

"I wouldn't call it _hate._ You see, she always gets what _she _wants, and I don't think it's fair. I've been working here longer yet _she _got a better position in a month's time then I had gotten in four years. Plus, she had the hottie Shadow the Hedgehog as her partner." She tightened her grip on the poor fox. "Do you have any idea how many girls wanted to be partnered up with _him_? But noooo, he chose _her._ And now that he's gone, she had to choose from a new batch of hot agents. She got the one _I_ was initially assigned to." At that point it seemed she was blabbering on to herself and not to Tails. "She got _Terios_. He was _mine_. Why can't GUN _see_ she'll end up double crossing them as usual?"

"Why do you think she'll double cross GUN?" Nicole scoffed.

"She's ridiculously in love with that black hedgehog. She'll do _anything_ for him." Somehow the image of Rouge loving Shadow wasn't surprising in Tails's mind. But he knows Shadow isn't the type of guy who plans on jumping into a relationship anytime soon, or ever. Rouge on the other hand. . .

_"Shadow has good reasons," Is all Rouge said as she took a seat next to the red echidna._

_"Which are?" Tails asked at Rouge._

_"I'm not sure. There's a hunch, but I'd rather not share until I'm positive . . ."_

Even with all those memories incorporated into Tails's mind, he could only see them as best friends. No one knows Shadow the way Rouge does, and that's that. Nicole then throws Tails into a security camera room.

"Start rewiring up the camera. You'll do me this favor if you know what's good for you, kid." She locked the door with a click. _Great, more psycho women I have to bear._

* * *

><p>Knuckles was rammed into the wall by a mysterious force and dropped the Emerald. "W-What?" He stammered.<p>

"Long time no see, cutie." Rouge waved to the red echidna.

"Rouge?" Knuckles shook his head to see if he wasn't dreaming. "You work for them?"

"I'm just here to bring back the Emerald you stole to HQ." She chuckled. "Terios, paralyze him." A hedgehog came out from the shadows and Knuckles felt a series of electrical shocks flow furiously through his body. He was paralyzed. "Have you met my new partner?" Rouge flew around feeling her companion's quills; twirling them through her fingers. It sent chills up Shadow's spine but he knew it was just an act. "Jealous yet?" She asked the echidna.

"Rouge," Terios's voice rose. He pointed down the corridor. "_Trouble_." He called in a sing-song voice. Knuckles couldn't help but think there was something strange about Terios.

Nicole appeared before the group with a tranquilizer gun. "Rouge, step aside." Rouge chuckled and ignored her.

"Nicole," Terios, noticing Nicole's determination, put a hand over the gun. "I already paralyzed him."

"And I gots the Emerald." Rouge shook the Emerald in her hand. Nicole glared at the bat.

"Leave Knuckles alone!" A pink hedgehog's voice rose. She held her hammer high. The rest of the group arrived right after.

"Terios," Rouge winked at him. "Get ready." She motioned her head up to the security cameras.

Nicole began shooting like a mad woman. "Agent Rouge, Agent Terios, I got this. Go initiate the lockdown sequence." Terios and Rouge looked at each other and smiled as Nicole got knocked to her feet by Charmy.

Before Nicole could get back up; Rouge went ahead and kicked the blue hedgehog in the gut. Terios's pupils dilated and the Chaotix fell to the floor and yelled in pain as the electrical shocks fused through their system. He turned to Amy, and his glance sent chills down her spine. They stood for a moment there, staring at each other. _Those eyes . . ._ Amy noticed. The yellow hedgehog lifted his hands to perform the same scenario as before, but Sonic knocked him back.

"Who are _you_?" Terios chuckled.

"You should know who I am," Terios's sinister voice called out to him. "I would have expected a hedgehog such as yourself to be aware that I'm now the fastest thing alive."

"Again, who are _you_? A long lost cousin of mine?"

"I wouldn't call it that." Rouge flew and knocked Sonic back down. Knuckles had somehow gotten up and punched Rouge from behind.

The echidna yelled into the bat's ear. "Give me the Emerald!" Nicole saw this as her big break. Knuckles kicked Rouge in the chest and got her knocked back. She began coughing blood.

"You have guts, echidna." She spat. Knuckles picked her up and threw her against a wall; making her black out. The red echidna picked up the Emerald and Nicole shot him. Then she took back the chaotic gem.

"Rouge _knew_ she'd fail this mission if it weren't for _moi._" Nicole mocked. Sonic flicked her ear, starling her."_Huh?_"

"I'll be taking _that._" The azure hedgehog told her flirtatiously. A small blush rose to the cat's cheeks

"I'd like to see you try." Terios sent a series of electrical shocks through the floor paralyzing his blue counterpart. Sonic dropped the emerald and it landed, coincidentally, in Nicole's hands. She quickly ran to a panel and pressed some buttons. A metallic door appeared and was about to divide the two groups.

"Come on, Terios!" Nicole called from the opposite side while the door closed between them. Terios looked back to unconscious Rouge.

"_You_ go." He told the cat before he ran to Rouge's aid. The team was ready to beat the infamous bat and hedgehog up, but Terios picked up Rouge and passed right through the wall.

Nicole's anger fueled up inside her when the door closed. _What do these guys see in her?_

* * *

><p>Tails saw the whole thing in shock while he recorded it for her. But, who was that hedgehog? He heard the clatter of hooker heels and knew the cat was coming. Tails frantically flew through a window, and back to his friends, before Nicole would make him do other strange things.<p>

"Sonic!" He waved. The group was united back on the small hill in which they started on. "What happened back there?" Amy shook her head.

"You saw it?"

"Nicole made me record it. Let's just say she just really '_dislikes' _Rouge." Tails added.

"You can tell." The echidna groaned. "I can't believe I let them get away with the Emerald."

"Whoever that guy was," Espio joined the conversation. "Has some serious power."

"Terios?" Tails asked. "According to Nicole, that was supposed to be her partner but Rouge requested him and they _had _to give him to her."

"He's awfully suspicious."Vector added, rubbing his head.

"You kidding me? That. Was. _Awesome_!" The bee fist bumped the air, but stopped his praises once he received a death glare from everyone.

This won't be the last time they meet him.

* * *

><p>The Commander yelled in anger. "<em>How could you let them take the real Emerald?" <em>Nicole inched back in fear. He replayed the film. It showed Sonic and co. taking the _real white _Emerald. The Commander threw the phony the Emerald to the ground. "_I_ am _very _disappointed in you, Agent Nicole. _I_ asked Rouge to get it for this reason. _You_ meddled with _her_ mission and now she's in the infirmary because of _you_." The Commander sat back down on his chair. "Don't bother coming back for a few weeks, Agent Nicole. Two enormous disappointments in one day is _enough_." The cat nodded and dragged her being outside. She was ready to burst into tears.

Dante stood nearby and saw as she dragged herself into the locker room. The phoenix bird followed her. She dropped to her knees and began sobbing. He wished he could do something, but he knew otherwise. There would never be a _them. _Any time he _tried _to get near her, everything would come crashing down. It's been three years since he's known her, yet, he still can't get any affection in return. The only affection he's gotten from her is _hostile_.

* * *

><p>"You <em>got<em> it, Shadow?" Eggman's voice echoed through the underwater fortress. Shadow handed him the _real _white Emerald.

"Yes, doctor." The obese man summoned Omega into the room.

"Omega, take this into the chaos deposit." The robot snatched the Emerald from the doctor's hand and stormed out of the room.

"Omega doesn't appreciate you using him as an errand boy, doctor." Shadow told his ally.

"Once Rouge comes back, he will be put to great use." The Eggman fondled his mustache. "I'm still surprised you two could pull it off."

"Do you doubt our abilities?" The hedgehog challenged.

"No, but everything happened so _coincidental._" The doctor replayed the film. "I only gave you _one _fake emerald, which the cat took. Yet, you managed to create an electric one that appeared to be a Chaos Emerald carried off by Sonic to the camera."

"It was Rouge's idea. She knew Nicole would try to interfere." The doctor smiled.

"Aren't you the social butterfly now, _Terios_." Shadow the Hedgehog walked away toward his temporarily dorm.

"My name _isn't _Terios." The door closed itself when he walked out.

* * *

><p><strong>Yay! :D Another chapter complete! HOPE Y'ALL LIKED THAT SONG! Also, I don't know where MSKitty (mi beta) is at xD It's like she disappeared from the face of gmail and FF 0.0 Either way, I hope she's proud of me and my (hopefully) improving grammar :}<strong>

**Thanks for reading you, sweet thangs! ^.^ It'd make me happier if you would Review though ;)**


	9. What If?

A/N: All of the following is a week later.

**Last Time On Inverted Mistakes. . .** The Chaotix, Team Sonic, and Team Dark all clashed at Volcano Island as they all were meaning to rescue Cream. Or so they state. With everyone holding secrets and disguised identities, who can trust who? It's a shame none of them know they should be apprehensive with who they tell who.

**What If?**

"_I believe that life is a game, that life is a cruel joke, and that life is what happens when you're alive and that you might as well lie back and enjoy it." ― Neil Gaiman, American Gods_

Cream woke up hazily. She opened her eyes to see a soft olive color engulf her. Her heart began speeding rapidly. She blinked quickly to ensure she wasn't hallucinating. Cheese quickly flew over to her.

"Chao?" Cheese looked at her with a worried expression.

"Cream?" Another figure rose from the opposite end of the bed. "Cream. . ." The furry lilac figure helped the bunny sit up and embraced her, feeling the small bunny's heart rate slowly beat back into normality. Cheese floated to the bed and landed with a soft 'plop' on the bedspread.

As soon as Cream calmed down, she spoke. "I...keep forgetting I am here, Miss Blaze." The bunny hugged Blaze harder. "I want to go home." Cheese nuzzled onto Cream's lap.

Blaze gently caressed Cream's head. "Cream you cannot risk your mother's safety and we'll only keep you here for one day more. It'll be a week by then."

Cream popped her head up from Blaze's embrace, the bunny looked into Blaze's eyes sadly. "Pinky promise?" Her small fuzzy finger extended out to Blaze's.

"I promise." Blaze took the solemn oath as her and Cream's fingers intertwined. "Now," The lilac cat pulled away from Cream and got off the bed. "Wanna help me make breakfast?" Cheese the Chao perked in his one word language as the cat extended her hand out to the small bunny.

"Yes, ma'am!" Cream grabbed into Blaze's hand and hopped off. "Let's go, Cheese!" The chao danced in the air to convey his emotions.

"Good. Because I am unsure how to, the servants usually cooked for me back home." Cream giggled.

"I remember, Miss Blaze." Cream beamed a smile as the trio went to prepare a hearty meal.

**~xXx~**

_"Shadow!" A familiar voice faintly yells. Shadow's eyes flicker as he stirs and finally blinks his eyes open. He sees Maria running over to him happily over a field of aerial pastel colored flowers._

_"Maria?" Shadow quickly scrambles to his feet. His vision clears up and sees her clear slim figure. _

_He couldn't even believe it._

_She was ever so vivid in her blue dress: just ironed and spotless, like back when she bought it from her favorite store that breezy April day. Her long hair: still ever so sunny and flowing like June. Her smile: still beautiful like the first spring sunrise on a March morning. Her skin: ever so full of life, as if she was free of illness and free like leaves on a September evening. _

_"Maria!" Shadow rushes over to her in a heartbeat. It's her. It is actually her. _

_But then Maria's pace slowly goes to a stop. Her face distorts to a frightened face. It was grotesque and hyperbolized then what it actually would have been. Her voice morphed into a darker dead tone. "You're not Shadow." Her blue dress shreds into a madness of a slick black color, the dress rising with the rapidly rising wind until it tears off into a murder of crows. Her skin peels off into a blinding paper white as her hair slowly begins coming off, first in bits but eventually accumulating to piles around her. Her smile morphed into an eerie clownish smile that gave even Shadow chills that ran from the base of his vertebrae to the superior section of it. Her eyes went completely black. "I don't like you." She charges toward him._

_Shadow was at loss but he knew that was no longer Maria. "Chaos spear!" But no spear ever came. Maria knocked him back with her crow dress. He looked down at himself. He was gray with yellow. He was Terios. Not Shadow._

_"And you'll never ever get to be Shadow again, right Terios?" Maria giggled. The phrase "right Terios?" kept panging inside his head like a monstrous bell. _

"Shadow?" Shadow blinks his eyes open. He was sweating like a pig. Rouge was sitting up in her infirmary bed with a worried expression and her legs hanging out as she sat facing him.

"You called me Shadow?" He groggily said as he sat up and regained his composure.

"Yeah, that _is_ still your name." If anyone ever questioned that Rouge could smile tenderly she just did, but it lasted only but a blink. "The real questions here are: Why are you visiting me? And why were you panting in your sleep? It looked like you were having an awful nightmare." Rouge smirked. "I didn't know you actually had _feelings_."

"Yeah, yeah," Shadow stood up as he waved his hand with his words. "I came to check up on you only because the doctor told me to come get you now. We have another mission."

"And what of my other questions?" Rouge pursed her lips. Shadow looked at her: she wasn't wearing makeup. Her usual shimmery fur was dull and bruised. She had bandages wrapped around her legs and it made them look like candy canes. The minty hospital garment she wore correlated along with the dullness of her fur. Yet, she was still herself.

"They aren't important." Shadow put on his aviators and headed out the door. "Just call the doctor when you need a ride."

"Did he give you a ride?" Rouge crossed her arms with attitude.

"You could say that." Shadow smirked at her and got one last look at her before he changed himself mentally back into Terios. "See ya around, Rougey."

Rouge got shivers down her spine and blushed. Shadow didn't get to see her in this state thank goodness. She hated showing this. And she hated knowing that Shadow couldn't be his gloomy self. . .somehow.

**~xXx~**

"I have another favor to ask of you two." Kiro fell into the blue colored armchair and sighed. "And I don't think you'll be as willing this time."

Blaze and Silver exchanged a look. "You can ask anything of us. You've been only good to us." Silver reassured. Blaze scanned the study room and was lost in thought.

Kiro took a few deep breaths. "A Chaos Emerald." Blaze's glance went and met Kiro's. "I am sure you know what it is? It looks like a-"

Blaze cut him off. "Yes, we are aware." Blaze took a step forward. "What of them?" Blaze didn't like the sound of this. She enjoyed Kiro and his kindness but Chaos Emeralds meant power, and that wasn't necessarily always a good thing. Blaze would know.

"I know how suspicious this must sound to you both. GUN had the emerald according to my research but it seems to have disappeared an hour ago. The doctor had a chaos emerald radar installed right here in his study," Kiro pressed a button under the desk to reveal a screen with a neon green radar with a magenta dot on the screen beeping furiously. "And the screen has been beeping furiously because the emerald in on the property."

"We are not stealing it back." Blaze immidiately said. "I am not sure if you are aware of what those gems are capable of." Blaze shook her head. "They are not meant to be meddled with."

Silver had been silent throughout all this but finally spoke. "But someone is," He looked over at Blaze. "The least we can figure out is his or her affiliations."

"Well," Kiro interrupted. "They don't look so good." Kiro got up from the armchair and tapped on the beeping magenta dot twice. A video camera showed on the screen. A red robot powerjetted his way through the forest.

"That looks like an Eggman robo!" Silver exclaimed. Kiro nodded.

"This is why I was worried. I wouldn't have meddled if I didn't know." He looked over at a thoughtful Blaze.

"Fine. We will be swift about it." She nodded at Silver.

"Be are careful, you two. " Kiro said as the two furries walked out of the study. Cream was eavesdropping outside the study and was soon discovered.

"Cream?" Blaze asked accusingly.

"I'm going!" Cream stood her ground. Cheese stood by her crossing his tiny chao arms.

"No," Blaze stepped down to get on Cream's level. "You are not." Cream and Cheese began to pout.

"Blaze," Silver was already heading outside. "We'll be there. It'll be fine." He smiled reassuringly before setting off.

"Fine." Blaze ran after him and looked back only once to assure that Cream and Cheese were following.

The foursome ran out, Silver was levitating steady as he engulfed himself in his power. Cream and Cheese were flying not to far behind him. Blaze sped with her long paced steps, with hints of fire trailing behind her.

They went into the jungle. Birds and other creatures clamored and this acted as ambivalent background noise. Trees rose to magnificent heights. Deeper parts of the forest had strange neon color combinations: electric blue terrain with pink sticky water, chartreuse mud with neon red leaves on their respective foliage, even the frogs had weird color changing properties. Silver found himself having to do several loop-de-loops in order to get into higher ground and avoid touching any of the weird neon liquids. Blaze ran through several vine hoops in order to catch up while Cream and Cheese swung on the neon vines.

"There!" Cream yelled. The hedgehog looked at where she was pointing. Above, in a pointy hill, a bright red robot was jet-packing his way through the foliage.

Once Silver got a better look at the robot, he was shocked. _We know him. . .that's E123-Omega!_

The robot however, stopped. He faced the foursome from his distant height. "New life forms spotted." He analyzed them quickly. "Affiliations unknown. Silver the Hedgehog and Blaze the Cat: Time unknown. Cream the Rabbit and companion: Disappeared from home, worried mother, Team Sonic and Chaotix currently pursing, campaign recently set up called '_Save CreamCheese_' throughout the 20,000 mile radius."

"'_Save CreamCheese_'?" Silver raised his eyebrow.

"My mother?" Cream felt remorse.

"E123-Omega," Blaze shot herself up to the hill in which Omega was on with her fire. "The Chaos Emerald which you possess has been stolen from the Guardian Unit of Nations about less than two hours ago. Why?" Blaze clenched her fists.

"Classified." The robot revealed a series of missles and aimed at Blaze.

"You crashed the ceremony with Shadow! Many people were hurt!" Cream and Cheese flew up next to Blaze and pointed at the robot accusingly. "You almost hurt Sonic and Amy!"

"GUN is not to be trusted. Get out of my way or you shall suffer the consequences. NOW." Omega's right arm transformed into a bazooka. "You have five seconds or-"

"Or what?!" Silver hopped up and got in front of Cream and Blaze.

"You will be annihilated." More missiles were placed ready to shoot.

"Mister robot, just tell us why you attacked-" Cream never got to finish.

E123-Omega attacked. Missles glowed as they launched toward the group. A missile flew past Cream but the explosion still made her hop several feet above the floor and land harshly.

"Cream!" Blaze yelled. Next thing she knew Omega punched her in the stomach. Blaze was launched several tens of feet up against a rock wall.

"No!" Silver used his abilities to revert the missiles but they failed to hit Omega. Omega started releasing smoke and soon the battlefield was a blind fight.

Blaze began to fall off the rock wall in her almost subconscious state, but Cream had flown up and caught her. She rested Blaze on a smoke free zone. Cream coughed. She had been badly scraped.

"Blaze?" She shook her and Blaze soon snapped out of her state.

"I-I am alright. Thank you for your aid." She looked into the immense cloud of thick smoke. "And Silver?" Cream looked terrified. They both looked into the smoke but soon noticed they couldn't even see a shadow.

"Come on out! You coward!" Silver challenged the robot. He was so mad. He hurt Blaze and Cream. No one hurts his friends like that.

Omega came out from the looming clouds and charged at him with a chainsaw. Silver hopped over him, at the same time lifted a nearby boulder, and once he landed, he launched it onto Omega's back. The robot was pushed forward and fell, the Chaos Emerald rolled out of wherever the robo was keeping it. Omega punched it into the smoke, so Silver wouldn't pick it up. Silver used this as an opportunity. He jumped on the to the robo's back and began punching his metallic body, managing only scrapes and dents onto the robust surface. Omega got up and Silver slid onto the ground but quickly regained his fighting stance. Omega launched more missles. Silver collected them all with his power and this time, used them wiser.

"I don't know whether you really do have good reasons but attacking like this is just plain wrong!" He was hoping his plan would work; praying to any gods or anything because he wasn't sure how much longer he's last before his power drained completely. "Really? Is that seriously all you got?"

"Challenge," Omega began unloading all the possible weapons he had on him; to the point here his entire metallic body was covered by a veil of firearms. Lights began blinking green and soon turned red to signal that aim was taken. "Accepted." Omega shot everything on him, all aiming for Silver.

Silver launches the missiles to defend him as he jumped into the air. But it wasn't enough.

Then, several whips of fire appeared from beyond the smoke, making all the shots implode.

"Silver!" Blaze tossed him the Chaos Emerald with her left hand as her right kept slashing at the robot which made him momentarily lose his balance. But those few moments cost him the battle. "You shall pay the consequences now." Blaze yelled at the robot. She linked her arm with Silver as he held the Chaos Emerald high in the sky, her hand held the powerful magenta gem in all it's glory. The duo looked at each other and nodded as they held the gem.

"Chaos Control!" They yelled in unison. Time froze.

Blaze charged at Omega and kicked him right in the center of his chest. It almost looked as if she were dancing ballet. The robot was sent back, which snaped the world out of Chaos Control. If you looked really hard, you could see Blaze's aura turned red. Blaze stood her ground and bent down to grab sand from the ground. "Argh...!" Blaze struggled and began sweating. Soon, columns of fire shot out of the ground, the fire burned and began melting part of Omega's surface.

"Blaze. . ." Silver began. He wasn't sure what to even say. "Blaze," He touched her shoulder gently. "Leave him be. We have the emerald." Blaze breathed in and out; soon the columns of fire dug themselves back into the cool earth.

Cream and Cheese came out of the smoke in awe. Silver went up to her. "Lets go." Cream nodded and went after him. Blaze was about to follow but looked back at the heavily damaged robot.

"Take this as a warning." Blaze growled. "Do not dare cross paths with me ever again." The cat girl ran off after her friends who were waiting for her.

The robot never responded. He stood on the ground in heaps of himself. He had never felt so useless, so stupid. He never lost a battle against a robot. How did he lose to HER? He couldn't even live with himself.

He lifted his right arm slowly and lifted a small panel on his left arm. He pressed a few buttons and soon a screen lit up. "Yes?" Eggman stood on the other side of the screen. Omega couldn't speak. He LOST. He couldn't admit it to the doctor who always tried to find his weaknesses. Why did he not call Shadow? Or Rouge? In his mind, the most efficient and logical manner to get out of his physical shredded state was to contact the Eggman, yet. . .

"123-Omega?" The doctor raised his voice in annoyance.

"I-" If robots could sigh with regret, Omega did. "I require transportation. And repairs. _Many_ repairs."

**~xXx~**

"I didn't mean for a battle to happen." Kiro was basically on the verge of tears. "I saw the whole thing despite the smoke."

Blaze was silent in the edge of the living room. Kiro was cleaning Cream's cuts and bandaging the needed areas.

"We need to get her home." Blaze said. "She's in danger with us."_With me_, thought Blaze.

Silver came into the room with water bottles and handed each to the girls. He leaned into Blaze ears. "Can I talk to you?"

Blaze did not particularly enjoy how close people get to her but she was somehow okay with Silver's familiarity with her. She nodded and headed outside with him.

"Yes?" She asked him once they were in the courtyard facing the ocean.

"It's been a week. We haven't had any word from the Commander. Something is seriously wrong." Silver explained. "I know you didn't want me to bring it up earlier, but I think we might of screwed up something here."

"Oh, _we_?" Blaze shook her head. "I told you we shouldn't have meddled with Kiro."

"They were gonna murder him!" Silver argued.

"That was the way it was meant to be." Blaze sighed and faced the ocean. "We need to find Sonic and another Chaos Emerald."

"Sonic?" Silver felt as if Blaze thought he wasn't fulfilling her expectations. "For what?"

"So you two can create a Chaos Control portal." Silver felt relieve somewhat. "We need to get back. We need to find Sonic." Blaze shook her head. "Or Shadow? He might be willing to aid us."

"I really doubt it." Silver sighed. "I've been researching what exactly happened during that ceremony. Omega and Shadow almost killed the President."

Blaze couldn't put her finger on it. "Why? Did it say anything regarding that?"

Silver shook his head. "No, but I did find out everything about him." Silver quickly explained Shadow's past and all the tragedy that correlated with it.

"He must have a reason of a sort. I am still unsure as to trust him however. He and Omega are similar in nature and I am not so eager to tear off Omega's skin again." Blaze clenched her teeth. "I am such a monster. . ."

"Don't say that," Silver slowly picked up her hand. "You're beautiful." He smiled at her reassuringly. "Your power is a gift like mine. Although we're uncommon and strange, we can still be unique together. I accepted you for you as you have to me. We weirdos stick together." Blaze's heart felt lighter. She felt better about herself. She was unique and not alone. And Silver thinks she's beautiful. It's alright. It'll all be okay.

"Thank you." Blaze squeezed his hands before she let it go. She regained her composure. "We'll go bring Cream home and try to find Sonic from there."

"And the Emerald?" Silver asked.

Blaze sighed. "We brought it and fought for it. It is ours, not Kiro's. And there won't be anything he says that will stop me from taking it with us."

"He is a good guy though."

"But we don't know him," Blaze faced him as the sunset created warm auras around them. "And we better just keep to ourselves from now on."

"Alright." The two stayed silent and instead watched the sun set peacefully.

**~xXx~**

Omega stood strapped to a metallic hospital bed. The room was dim and electronic. A series of medical robots surrounded him, mending his wires, stripping him of his melted metal, and reapplying new layers.

The door to the room opened. A gray hedgehog in a trench coat appears along with a bat with spy gear on. The hedgehog sighs. "Omega. . ."

"I can't believe he went by himself." Rouge looked at her friend slowly.

Shadow shook his head. "This was our mission. The three of us. Not just him." Shadow was unsure as to feel angry, sad, furious, or depressed.

The robot's eyes began blinking on and soon turned red. He looked back and forth from Rouge to Shadow. "Rouge, Shadow: I apologize. Plans did not turn out the way they were programmed to. GUN was to move the Chaos Emerald to a more secure place. The chance was then, and I did not wish to waste time." The robot looked miserable. "I failed you."

"No," Shadow shook his head. "You were outnumbered, correct?"

"Three to one, yes." Omega responded in his systematic voice.

"Who were they? Sonic, Tails, and the Knucklehead?" Rouge felt anger in her. How _dare_ they? And they melted him in such a harsh manner, was it really necessary?

"No," Omega shook his robotic head. "Silver the Hedgehog, Blaze the Cat, and Cream the Rabbit." Shadow looked up.

"Silver?" Shadow seriously did not know what to think. "What's the kid doing here?"

"And Blaze...and Cream?" Rouge looked over at Shadow. "They were looking for her on Volcano Island. She had escaped. The cell was shredded like. . ." Rouge did not need to finish. Her and Shadow looked at Omega wistfully.

"Blaze." Shadow nodded.

The Eggman came into the room with a jovial look on his face. He had been jovial ever since Omega called him for help, despite the fact he lost the Emerald. He pressed some buttons and rearranged tubes on Omega.

"I have news for you two." Eggman cleaned his hands on a rag and hung it up. "Come with me, I'll need to show you." The duo followed Ivo. Shadow and Rouge looked back at the same time.

"We'll be back, Omega." Shadow reassured his friend. Rouge shut the door.

"Now," Ivo Robotnik sat in his chair as the screen behind him blinked on and began to show images. The screen has been showing different footage from secret video camera Rouge had set up to spy on the troops and materials that were being loaded and eventually sent to the ARK. "The Space Colony Ark reopens in three days. Tomorrow they will send Rouge, and if things go to plan, Terios as well, to check up on the ARK to ensure that it's harm free. The day after that, troops will be sent up with the newly hired ignorant scientists to begin setting up. You two will be there monitoring the process. Finally the third day will come, "The opening will be highly secure and the invite list has been reduced to about fifteen." The doctor huffed as he took a breath. "Among those fifteen will be your dearest frienemies: Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy Rose."

"Oh, greaaaat." Rouge said with a smile. She kinda missed the Knucklehead.

The other two ignored her comment and went on with business. "I'll need you to take this," Ivo hands Shadow a small duffel bag. "I don't care how you manage to smuggle it. There are video camera, radars, the likes, and I need you to set them up before you broadcast back to GUN. GUN has an emergency policy. If you do not contact them within the first five minutes, they will contact you. And we can't have that. Once those five minutes are up, they will turn the ARK on, as well as the security cameras." Shadow and Rouge nodded.

"What if they have them on before those five minutes?" Rouge asked the Eggman.

The Eggman cracked up. "That's where this evil genius comes in! I will monitoring GUN from here and if they initiate any plan, I'll be sure to intercede. But all I can give you is those five minutes. GUN found a more competent programmer over the year and I cannot mess with him as easy as I could with the last lead programmers." The Eggman cleared his throat. "So, can I trust you two?"

Rouge and Shadow looked at each other. Although they said nothing, they knew each other's thoughts. "Yes." They responded in unison.

"That's what I like to hear." The doctor smiled.

"Just keep in mind we aren't your minions, doctor. We will do our own sleuthing and we have our own agenda." Shadow faced the Eggman as he articulated every word.

"Oh, believe me, I know." The doctor smirked.

* * *

><p><strong>Sooooo hey guys. . .I know its been way past a year. But I haven't given it up! Promise! I'll update before the month ends :)<strong>


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